The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon and Cornwall has confirmed that a public enquiry office will be opened at Tavistock Police Station over the coming year.

This will follow Okehampton Police Sstation’s public enquiry office (PEO) which opened last month, enabling West Devon Police to be more accessible to its residents and the surrounding communities. Tavistock was one of four t confirmed after last week’s police and crime panel approved the commissioner’s budget for 2024/25. Details of when the Tavistock station PEO will open are yet to be confirmed, however it will be no later than March 2025. It is likely to be at Abbey Rise, where Tavistock Police are now based, although this has not yet been confirmed.

Neighbourhood Sergeant for West Devon Tom Ottley said: “The opening of Tavistock’s front enquiry office will benefit the public by providing face-to-face contact with local police staff. This will provide a service the people of Tavistock have been saying was missing from their community. It will provide a opportunity to improve our visibility and engagement with the public.”

The move will return a public police office to Tavistock for the first time in about 13 years following the previous station’s closure in 2011 to save £50m over four years and in response to what was said to be a declining use by residents.