POLICE stations will not be ‘withdrawn’ in Devon and Cornwall under the current police and crime commissioner, a meeting was told.

At Launceston’s Community Network Panel meeting on December 15, chief executive to commissioner Conservative Alison Hernandez, Andrew White, talked about policing and the challenges he said they face.

Mr White said: “Under the previous police and crime commissioner [Conservative Tony Hogg] we were rationalising — a posh word for closing — police stations.

“We are not removing police stations from any locations. We will not be withdrawing from any locations under the new commissioner.”

Ms Hernandez, he said, is about to publish her police and crime plan, which he said looks at ‘staying resilient and connected communities’.

He said there are now two additional armed response units in the two counties, amounting to around another 40 officers.

He said there is an ‘active discussion’ around what ‘PCSOs bring to the overall policing service’.

Town councillor Paul O’Brien said: “I’m seeing PCSOs sitting within feet of endorsable traffic offences and doing zero about it — it brings policing into disrepute.”

Town councillor John Harris asked why PCSOs could not be ‘warranted’. Mr White said: “They do a contributory role. I think that balance is worth maintaining.

“It’s hard to police a large rural area. North Cornwall isn’t the only rural part. That stretches resources.”

Liberal Democrat Cornwall Councillor for Launceston South Jade Farrington said of the PCSOs: “I think they do an excellent job in Launceston.”