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27/09/2004
Norfolk post offices take on policing duties
Post offices in the Norfolk area will take on some policing services from today under a pilot scheme designed to improve community access to police in the area.
The six-month pilot, which is the first of its kind in England, will see eight sub post offices in Norfolk take on incident reporting and lost property issues, as well as acting as a point for crime reduction information. The public will also be able to hand in driving documents and applications for firearms licences and shotgun certificates.
Crimes that can be reported through designated local post offices include theft, criminal damage, vandalism and theft from or damage to a motor vehicle.
Norfolk's Acting Assistant Chief Constable Kevin Wilkins said: "This partnership approach will improve facilities and improve visibility and access to police in local communities. We are very excited to be part of such an innovative scheme which is the first of its kind in England. We are always looking for ways of extending our service to the public."
Sue Huggins, General Manager of the Rural Agency Network for Post Office, added: “We hope that this new initiative will be beneficial to the community. We know how important services are to local people."
After six months, a feasibility study will determine whether the scheme should be extended further afield.
At the launch of the scheme at Watton Post Office today, Jacky Welsh, subpostmistress of Watton Post Office near Thetford said that scheme would see greater availability of services. “I think the scheme is absolutely brilliant. We have a part-manned police station in the village whereas the post office is open Saturday mornings and nine hours a day on weekdays,” she said.
Marilyn Stoddart, Assistant General Secretary NFSP said: “Members of the public trust their village post office and subpostmasters are well used to dealing with transactions in confidence.”
(gmcg/mb)
The six-month pilot, which is the first of its kind in England, will see eight sub post offices in Norfolk take on incident reporting and lost property issues, as well as acting as a point for crime reduction information. The public will also be able to hand in driving documents and applications for firearms licences and shotgun certificates.
Crimes that can be reported through designated local post offices include theft, criminal damage, vandalism and theft from or damage to a motor vehicle.
Norfolk's Acting Assistant Chief Constable Kevin Wilkins said: "This partnership approach will improve facilities and improve visibility and access to police in local communities. We are very excited to be part of such an innovative scheme which is the first of its kind in England. We are always looking for ways of extending our service to the public."
Sue Huggins, General Manager of the Rural Agency Network for Post Office, added: “We hope that this new initiative will be beneficial to the community. We know how important services are to local people."
After six months, a feasibility study will determine whether the scheme should be extended further afield.
At the launch of the scheme at Watton Post Office today, Jacky Welsh, subpostmistress of Watton Post Office near Thetford said that scheme would see greater availability of services. “I think the scheme is absolutely brilliant. We have a part-manned police station in the village whereas the post office is open Saturday mornings and nine hours a day on weekdays,” she said.
Marilyn Stoddart, Assistant General Secretary NFSP said: “Members of the public trust their village post office and subpostmasters are well used to dealing with transactions in confidence.”
(gmcg/mb)
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Postmasters call for safeguard of rural offices
Postmasters are calling for urgent action by the government in order to safeguard rural post offices. The National Federation of Subpostmasters held a rally in London on Wednesday, while a petition of four million names was handed into 10 Downing Street. The NFSP general secretary Colin Baker warned that this was now "crunch time" for post offices.
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