A new community police base has opened in Warrington town centre.
Officers from Warrington Town Centre Neighbourhood Policing Unit have taken over an empty shop next to the skittles near Bridge Street to help strengthen links with those who live, work and visit the town centre. The ‘police post’ is based at number 5 Marketgate (the site of the former Officers’ Club) and will be open from Monday to Saturday between 10am and 4pm. A local officer will be based at the site at those times.
The community facility will provide access to a range of advice and support and certain types of assistance relating to policing services. Insp Neil Drum, of Warrington Town Centre NPU, said: “This new community facility is the result of close partnership working between Cheshire Police and the Golden Square management team.
“The empty site has been provided by Golden Square on a temporary basis to improve access to police information for people visiting the town centre. The new post is in a busy, easy-to-reach location and is part of a drive to further improve links with the local community, to further reduce crime in the town centre and to offer reassurance to shoppers and local businesses. This will not replace the policing service that is offered at the main police station at Arpley Street but it will provide a highly-visible police presence in the town centre in close proximity to shops, businesses and licensed premises.”
The ‘police post’ was officially opened by Chief Superintendent Richard Strachan on Tuesday, December 14. The idea to set up the community police post came from the Warrington Town Centre Area Board, which David Allinson (who is the General Manager of Golden Square Shopping Centre) is chairman of.
Mr Allinson said: “We are dedicated to our customers and the town centre; this initiative provides easy access for the whole community to police support making Warrington an even safer place to shop.”
And shoppers in Winsford’s main precinct can drop into a different kind of "Christmas Shop" – and they do not have to spend anything.
Cheshire Police, Cheshire West and Chester Council and other agencies have combined to provide a "confidence shop" which offers some free gifts, including "jingle bells" purse alarms, energy saving light bulbs and "Stubbies" portable ash trays, plus a lot of information.
Police Community Support Officer Harley Anderson-Croot said: “On the opening day we gave away 500 sets of the "jingle bells" alarms, which are a great deterrent to purse-dippers. Shoppers who called in showed a real interest in what we had to offer in terms of crime prevention information and it was a good opportunity to talk to people. On Saturday we will also offer some free bike-marking as another bit of crime prevention.
Paul Blackburn, a Senior Street Scene Enforcement Officer with Cheshire West and Chester Council said: “The "stubbies", are a little pouch to put your cigarette butt in. It means you don’t run the risk of a fine for littering. They were so popular we got through our first day’s stock in a couple of hours. This is a good opportunity to talk to people and get across the message about keeping the streets clean and tidy.”
