A new police enquiry office opened at Frome Library on Monday this week.
The co-located facility has been created following an agreement between Avon and Somerset Constabulary and Somerset County Council, which manages the county’s library service.
This new facility will be open from 9.30am-1.30pm and 2.15-5.00pm Monday to Friday; it will provide services in the same way as they were delivered at the town’s former police station before the front desk facility closed in January 2015 and the police station was later sold.
Co-locating at the library has enabled the police to maintain a town centre presence and front desk function at a convenient location, while also limiting costs. The new enquiry office is being run by uniformed members of police staff and will offer services including crime reporting, road traffic collision reporting, applications for firearms licences and crime prevention advice, while also dealing with general policing enquiries.
Inspector Mark Nicholson said, “We would like to thank the public for their patience during the planning stage for the new enquiry office. We will work closely with our partners at the library to ensure that we provide the best possible policing service to the public.”
Cllr David Hall, Somerset County Council cabinet member with a responsibility for libraries said, “The police will be a welcome addition to the range of services already successfully operating from the library, including Somerset County Council’s registration services; Mendip District Council’s access point; and Frome Town Council’s information centre.
“This latest development continues to place the library at the heart of the community and we are very pleased to be able to help the police maintain a town centre facility for local residents.”
A nearby neighbourhood police post, which is located very near to the library and has been operating since 2011, will offer a touchdown base for officers while they are on patrol in the town centre and also a possible location for beat surgeries.
Since it was opened, the neighbourhood police post has been regularly manned by volunteers who have been on hand to offer advice to members of the public. However, with the opening of the enquiry office nearby, the constabulary is keen to provide a complete range of services in one easy location. As a result, the role of the neighbourhood police post will now be adapted, with volunteers solely offering advice on particularly busy days in the town centre.
Sergeant Rachel Clark said, “Frome Neighbourhood Police post has been in place since 2011 and has provided an invaluable resource for visitors and the community alike. This resource has only been made possible thanks to the dedication of the volunteers who man it.
“Myself, Avon and Somerset Constabulary and the individuals who have used the police post are grateful for their efforts.
“With the volunteers’ support, the role of the police post will be adapted to focus its service on days of particular demand when the town centre is busiest, such as Sunday market days and carnival day.
“Despite the change in use, the post itself will remain and will still be used as a primary base for our neighbourhood team during the course of their daily patrols, providing high visibility presence in the town centre.”
