POLICING in the Forest is undergoing the biggest restructure for more than a decade as the Dean becomes its own policing area, with more frontline officers promised on the streets.
Huge structural changes took place across the whole county force from the end of last week (March 31)
Instead of being part of the Forest and Gloucester division, the Forest of Dean force will be one of six more autonomous Local Policing Areas (LAPs).
The Forest LAP will led by Superintendent Phil Haynes. Working to him will be Inspector Richard Boyles and sergeants running the community engagement team and Inspector Calvin Owen and Inspector John Lynch-Warden and sergeants running the response teams. They will be based in Newent, Cinderford, Coleford and a combined Lydney/Tutshill.
New chief constable Tony Melville said the needs of local communities are at the forefront of the restructure, with an additional 15 per cent of officers being moved into 'visible' roles. This means the number of frontline officers in uniform will rise forcewide, from 563 to 651 – up by 88. This excludes officers who are in units that are often visible (ie dogs unit) but based centrally.
"The structure of the constabulary has been under review since autumn 2009 and it is the most significant restructure of policing in the county since 1998.
"The time is right for a new approach to policing in Gloucestershire because we want to be at the heart of our communities and be more visible and accessible than we've ever been before."
Inspector Richard Boyles told the Review the response teams in the Forest will be made up of five shifts each run by a sergeant. Similarly his community engagement branch will have its own teams, again each run by a sergeant.
"The change in numbers of staff has been assessed over the last 12 to 18 months and we've redeployed staff from other areas (mainly back room staff) to release 15 per cent more for front facing duties.
"We will still have access to core teams covering all the LAP areas, like the dogs section, intervention group and road policing unit.
"We can bid for those resources on a daily basis. For example if we have a big drugs raid planned we can bid for the dog section."
Community engagement sergeants for the Dean have been named as Sergeant Rachel Lynch-Warden (Newent), Sergeant Simon Clemett (Cinderford), Sergeant Paul Simmons (Coleford) and Sergeant Carl Bourne (Lydney/Tutshill).
•Meanwhile, the future of police stations in the Forest remains to be determined.
Coleford and Cinderford are not part of the consultation but Newent, Lydney and Tutshill are.
"We have been looking at buildings across the entire constabulary estate," explained Inspector Boyles. "We need to be able to run in a way that is more efficient, given the savings which need to be made."
No decision will be reached on the future of the estate until the Police Authority meets on May 12.
But the expectation is that Tutshill, Lydney and Newent stations may close, saving on running costs, while a visible police presence will be expanded based possibly at libraries or village halls.