THE neighbourhood beat manager for Bude recently gave an update on custody centres, following a request from Bude-Stratton Town Council for more information.

A previous request from the council, in regard to police officers away from Bude having to take people to other custody centres, saw PC Stephen South, attend the full council meeting on December 1 to give an update on custody in the area.

He told the council that the Launceston custody centre closed in October 2015. However, with Camborne custody centre being closed for a re-fit, Launceston custody is currently open each weekend until the centre at Camborne comes back on line.

The meeting heard that closing Launceston custody centre has had an impact. Officers now use other custody units, including Barnstaple, Plymouth, Exeter and Newquay.

PC South explained that over the past year, officers from Bude have attended custody centres with prisoners fewer times than when Launceston was open. He said: “We are and have had to use other ways to finalise incidents when we can, as opposed to an arrest, immediately linked to detention in custody. This is because the distance is greater and therefore we need to be visible in Bude as much as possible.”