Developing an efficient and streamlined estate fit for modern policing

As Police and Crime Commissioner I am responsible for all police assets – including the policing estate - and will ensure they support an efficient and effective policing service. 

Since 2015, we have rationalised and redeveloped our police estate to ensure it consistently provides what police officers and staff need to work effectively and keep you safe. We have completed significant modernisation and redevelopment to provide consistent standards and capability for local policing teams.   

While we have improved many policing hubs, our key sites now require extensive renovation or refurbishment which will require significant investment to support my priorities and the Chief Constable’s policing requirements. 

Delivering a police service which meets the needs of its communities has never been more important – or challenging. I know residents want greater public engagement with officers, more public access to officers and an increased officer presence at community level.  

Wiltshire Police is addressing this with the introduction of a new operating model with neighbourhood teams providing visible, neighbourhood-focused, policing and delivering a recent improvement programme to provide a better-quality service 999 and 101 callers. 

My commitment has been to invest in mobile police stations so our rural communities receive the same level of service, improve Melksham Custody so it is fit-for-purpose and the future, invest in training facilities to provide an exemplary environment to equip our police officers to keep you safe and to challenge the force to consistently provide a quality service to residents – regardless of location. 

All of this is underpinned by the importance of investment in police ‘estate’ to support the delivery of a policing service I know our residents want - and deserve. 

My newly-launched Estates Strategy sets out this vision. I believe Wiltshire Police will be better equipped to provide the policing service our communities want if they have the infrastructure which supports them to respond more effectively and efficiently.  

The strategy ensures we have well-placed police stations and hubs providing a base for our staff to work smarter, adapt to changing crime and, more importantly, ensuring that not only will communities be safer but they will start to feel safer too. 

You can read the full strategy here.