Helpdesk to open for residents who have no other way of reporting crime

by Lisa Reeves

Thursday 9^th April 2020

Thu 9^th Apr 2020

A helpdesk will be open at Wilmslow Police Station for residents who have no other means of reporting crime during the lockdown.

A total of 16 police stations will open for one hour a day to offer a service for members of the public who cannot contact the Constabulary online or via the phone.

These helpdesks will be for urgent issues where there is no other way of contacting police and social distancing measures will be adopted to ensure that everyone is kept safe

Opening times for the helpdesk will be posted on the door of Wilmslow station every week and publicised in advance via Cheshire Constabulary's social media accounts.

Superintendent Peter Crowcroft said: "We recognise that not everyone can contact us online or via the telephone during these unprecedented times.

"So we have made the decision to open the helpdesks at 16 of our stations for one hour a day so that the people who need our service but cannot contact the police via any others means can report urgent issues.

"This is not to be used for general enquiries and in line with the advice on keeping safe, only make the journey if absolutely essential.

"We are telling anyone who does come to the station to always keep to social distancing rules of staying 2 metres away from others.

"We will also be ensuring that measures are in place at the stations to keep the residents of Cheshire safe.

"Please only visit a police station if there is absolutely no alternative and the matter is urgent. In an emergency, where a crime is taking place or there is a danger to life, always dial 999."

For general enquiries, please visit https://www.cheshire.police.uk/contact/af/contact-us/

Comments

Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.

Chris Jones

Thursday 9^th April 2020 at 10:01 am

The first paragraph says it all ( who doesn’t have a telephone ).
However I’m absolutely thumping fists at Cheshire Polices proactiveness. By opening 16, not 15 but 16 stations for one hour each day, the hour for obvious reasons can’t be stated. Fantastic just what we need from an emergency service in a crisis . Wasting resources on nonsense. (High fives everyone)

Tony Haluradivth

Friday 10^th April 2020 at 11:39 am

When we look and ask for our Police to attend i.e to the spivvy boy racelers still freewheeling and speeding around our village our esteemed Constabulory deem it as non urgent and yet we have a hotline for reporting our neighbours for flouting CiVid lockdown guidelines (my family fled the Nazis so am not overly keen on that one, but folk should be sensible obviously). However a patrol car has now been seen frequently along the Chorley Hall lane stretch at the allotments parked up and observing the allotment holders who are lawfully tending their plots. We have a friend with a plot there and she was imagining the Policeman swooping in to caution any of them who were not observing social distancing guidlines near the composr heap ;)) Message to Cheshire Police it is good to see that you are taking this all seriously but we expect the same attention to detail when this is all over after our precept hike. Take care everyone

Saturday 11^th April 2020 at 8:24 pm

Strange that Tony, easy target I would suggest.
I have been on at Cheshire Police all week to go upto the lay-bys on Macclesfield Road where certain people were blatantly flouting the law. Funnily enough they were always to busy.
If you have any problems in future don’t waste your breath or time with Cheshire Police, just get in touch with Esther Mcvey’s office they’re brilliant.

Kristina Hulme

Tuesday 14^th April 2020 at 3:36 pm

Maybe Esther could write a Question and Answer column maybe? Sharing and Caring would be a great title.
Thanks Craig and Rachel for helping the community with Grocery Deliveries in the absence of deliveries by the big W supermarket to the over 70's.There are also lots of people in AE who go out of their way to look after their neighbours.
Through this column it would be good to thank all the delivery people in general who drop off parcels to houses in the area including our fantastic postmen who we are on first name terms with...