 A crime-busting role for post offices is a first class move, say police |
A pioneering scheme in rural Fife offering some over-the-counter police services at post offices has proved successful and will be extended. Staff at Newmills post office have been dealing with non-emergency matters for the past year.
They range from handling reports of crime to witness citations.
Communities which have lost local police stations have welcomed the move and the service will now spread to Crail, Elie and Lundin Links.
Senior police officers are delighted at what they maintain are the excellent results and other forces are studying the ground-breaking project.
Keeping villages posted
Each post office has a police sign to identify its status. They will also handle business like driver documents and lost and found property.
Post Office spokesman, Kathy Jack, said: "Post office branches are at the heart of every community whether they are rural or urban and they provide a vital lifeline for everyone, similar to the role of Scotland's police forces.
"We hope that this partnership is well supported by local people and believe that this initiative will help safeguard and maintain Post Office services in more rural communities."
Communities Minister Margaret Curran added: "By providing police services through post offices, this scheme is making it easier for local people to access assistance when they need it.
"And there are wider benefits too. This frees up police resources to get on with what we need them to do, making communities safer places to live and work."
Fife's chief constable, Peter Wilson, insists the police-post office partnership provides a presence, access and reassurance in a practical way.
"I am delighted that Fife Constabulary is able to demonstrate our commitment to provide policing services across all of our communities," he said.
"It is many years since any of these villages saw a permanent police presence, but through this effective contract with local post office branches, we are now able to provide, a presence, access and reassurance in a very practical way."
Areas that have lost their local police stations are welcoming this scheme as well.
It is also being viewed as a way of helping to guarantee a future for country sub-offices whose future might otherwise be in jeopardy.
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It is many years since any of these villages saw a permanent police presence 
