Stone is one of five locations in Staffordshire to have a new police base installed at its fire station, as part of a move to strengthen collaboration between emergency services.
Staffordshire Police officers now have a dedicated space within Stone Fire Station, allowing them to spend more time in the community without needing to return to their primary station as often. This is part of a wider rollout across the county, with similar setups also introduced at fire stations in Chase Terrace, Kinver, Penkridge, and Uttoxeter.
Strengthening community policing in Stone
The addition of these bases is designed to improve operational efficiency and make the most of resources, ensuring a more visible police presence in local areas. Officers have access to a specially equipped room at Stone Fire Station where they can complete administrative work and take breaks during shifts.
Staffordshire Commissioner for Police, Fire & Rescue and Crime, Ben Adams, recently visited the new base in Stone to see how the setup is benefiting both police officers and firefighters. He said:
“The new Police bases are part of Staffordshire Police’s local policing model, with more officers based in our communities with the local knowledge and contacts to deal with the issues that matter to people.
“Making the most effective use of Staffordshire Fire & Rescue Service’s modern, purpose-built facilities not only makes operational sense, allowing the two emergency services to work more closely together locally, but also makes the best use of resources and therefore public money.”
A joined-up approach to emergency response
Inspector Kelly Wareing, from Stafford Local Policing Team, welcomed the move, highlighting how it would help officers and firefighters coordinate their response to incidents.
“Police officers and firefighters often attend the same incidents, so it makes sense for us to have joint stations where we share resources and continue to build practical and effective relationships with our colleagues at Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service.”
The collaboration is also expected to improve service delivery for residents and businesses in Stone. Station Manager Liam Hickey, from Stone Fire and Police Station, said:
“Greater collaboration between firefighters and police officers in Stone can only be a benefit to the residents, businesses and people we proudly serve on a daily basis.
“We are always looking at effective ways to meet both operational and financial challenges, and this initiative is an example of that. It will help us to improve how we work with emergency services colleagues on a localised scale and will help us to save money, which will benefit the service we provide to local communities.”
Where the new police bases are located
The new police bases can now be found at the following locations:
- Stone Fire and Police Station
- Chase Terrace Fire and Police Station
- Kinver Fire and Police Station
- Penkridge Fire and Police Station
- Uttoxeter Fire and Police Station
With officers spending more time embedded in these local areas, the initiative is expected to strengthen policing visibility while fostering closer ties between emergency services.
