A NEW volunteer supported police contact point will open at the Dorchester Library and Learning Centre this week.

The move comes after the decision was made earlier in the year to close the front desk at the county town's police station.

Following the changes to counter service provisions, Dorset Police has been working with Dorset County Council's library service and will implement for first of its pilot contact points in Dorchester from this Thursday.

The service will see the contact point open every Monday and Thursday from 10am to 2pm to provide convenient online services, 101 telephone access and crime prevention information to the public.

It will be manned by dedicated Dorset Police volunteers.

Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner Martyn Underhill said: “The opening of Dorchester’s community contact point is just one of the ways the public in that area can now get in touch with the police.

“We are working in times of austerity and sadly the closure of some front counter services was unavoidable.

"However, this is a step in the right direction in order to provide the public with important police contact services.

“Valuable collaborations with our partners such as Dorset County Council and utilising our valuable police volunteer resources are vital if we are to continue to expand this new service and provide the public with alternative methods of contacting Dorset Police.”

Dorset Police and Dorset County Council's library service are still looking for contact point volunteers for other locations that are planned for implementation including Sherborne.

Cllr Colin Jamieson, cabinet member for community services at Dorset County Council, said: “Having a contact point in the library provides a great platform for the police to reach out to the local public and gives residents a vital service to discuss their issues in a safe, accessible place in one of our central community facilities.

"We are pleased to be able to work with Dorset Police to offer local people the opportunity to talk to someone personally, or to access crime prevention information.”

If the pilot contact point at the Dorchester Library and Learning Centre proves to be a success, further contact points will be implemented at other locations across the county after the summer.

Dorset Police says the opening of community contact points is just one of the alternative ways that members of the public can get in touch with the force.

It says improvements have already been made to the 101 non-emergency service and work is also underway to develop the Dorset Police website.