The Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly has revealed plans to reopen four more police station front desks by the end of the year, including some closed under austerity measures a decade ago.

Police Enquiry Offices in Tiverton, Penzance, Newton Abbot and Falmouth are due to be reopened by December, Alison Hernandez said.

The plans, approved by Chief Constable Shaun Sawyer and the PCC at a meeting of the Devon and Cornwall Police resources board, also allow for the front desk in the popular tourist destination of Newquay, which was reopened in 2020 as a temporary measure, to remain open permanently.

These offices will be staffed by police enquiry officers from Monday to Saturday, from 10am to 3pm, while the existing nine operated by the force will operate extended opening hours of 8am to 6pm on the same days.

Officers staffing the offices will be able to support the 101 contact centre too when not dealing with people in person.

It is estimated that the cost of the additional openings will be about £186,000 in 2022/23, with the Commissioner and force are exploring opportunities to reopen more front desks in the following financial years.

Police and Crime Commissioner Alison Hernandez said: ‘Police stations offer a place of refuge for victims and a point of contact between the police and the public they serve. They are hugely reassuring for many people, enabling crimes to be reported, victims to be protected and information to flow freely between the force and the public it serves.

‘I have been very vocal about the public’s desire to see some of these front offices reopened, and the importance of establishing greater communication and understanding between the force and residents, so am really pleased to see progress on this landmark project – it shows that our police stand side by side with our communities in tackling crime.

‘We know that when people have contact with police officers their confidence in the force increases. With police officer numbers set to reach record levels in Devon and Cornwall Police thanks to investment by our communities, it is right that we maximise opportunities for the public to talk to officers and staff directly.

‘We will not stop there. I believe the force should be more visible so am engaged in talks to work out where more enquiry offices might be opened to best serve the public.’

The move towards restoring face-to-face contact will be welcomed by all those across the force area who have long called for this development, with criticism that the police are often inaccessible.