Press
& Publicity
Friday 4 May 2007 - 244
ROYAL OPENING CEREMONY - FORCE COMMUNICATIONS CENTRE
"A NEW PHASE IN THE WAY WE DO BUSINESS"
THE new, state-of-the-art Force Communications Centre at Police Headquarters is now fully up and running and will be opened formally on Friday, May 11 by a royal guest.
Broadcast and print media are invited to attend the event, which will also see the opening of a memorial garden dedicated to members of the Constabulary who have died in commission of their duty.
Work began on the £8m development of the Force Communications Centre at the Constabulary’s Headquarters in Welwyn Garden City in the summer of 2004 and it represents the biggest building project undertaken by the Police Authority for many years. The two-storey building, with its distinctive vaulted roof, accommodates 123 emergency and non-emergency call handlers on the top floor. Downstairs are a conference room with capacity to house 150 people for meetings and events, news conferences and training sessions, along with a variety of hi-tech facilities for the management of major incidents.
Chairman of the Police Authority, Ian Laidlaw-Dickson, commented: “The formal opening of the Force Communications Centre marks a significant milestone in our strategy to improve public access to police services across the county. Caller satisfaction rates have already risen considerably in recent months and the improvements are a tribute to the dedication, determination and professionalism of the Constabulary’s call handling staff.”
Chief Constable Frank Whiteley added: “This complex marks a new phase in the development of our Constabulary and the way we do business. I believe that through the concerted efforts of everyone involved, and with our enhanced information technology and telephony, we now have one of the best call handling operations in the country. I’m confident that the service we provide to our communities will improve still further with this new development.”
The Memorial Garden, which will be opened later in the day by the royal guest, has been designed as a place of reflection to remember those members of the Constabulary who have died, including the 18 officers who died during conflict or in the course of their duty. Relatives of many of these officers are expected to attend on the day to see the garden opened officially. A smaller memorial within the garden will be dedicated to those police dogs that have died during service.
Police Authority Vice-Chair, Brenda Griffiths, a member of the Memorial Garden Committee, commented: “As a Police Authority, we’ve been delighted to support the development of this garden. We want it to be a living memorial; somewhere where police officers and staff can enjoy a break in pleasant surroundings. The garden will also provide a focus for events such as the Constabulary’s Remembrance Day ceremony.”
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