'The people of Dudley have a police station they can be proud of' - Councillors, MPs and police chiefs delighted to see new police station open in centre of Dudley

Dudley’s new police station was officially opened by the Chief Constable Craig Guildford and Police & Crime Commissioner Simon Foster, who toured the station and met with officers who are now working from the Castlegate Way facility. 

The complex work to convert the former insurance call centre into a £6 million fully functioning and secure police station, took just eight months to complete. 

Changes include improvements to vital safety and security systems, the creation of a new victim care suite, interview rooms, and a public contact office where people can talk to staff face to face. 

Officers and staff started to work from the new station on Monday in a phased move which saw the public contact office open today. 

The new site houses neighbourhood teams, emergency response officers, offender managers, intelligence teams and much more and replaces Brierley Hill police station as the borough's police headquarters and all public service now transfer from Brierley Hill to the new Dudley police station. 

Brierley Hill police station will be disposed of in winter once the officers who are currently based there move into their new offices at Dudley Council’s Cable Plaza building, Waterfront. 

Speaking from the site, Chief Constable Craig Guildford, said: “I’m really pleased with the new Dudley police station.  

“The facilities for our officers and staff are excellent, but more importantly, the facilities for victims and witnesses are excellent. 

“Every penny spent on the project has been invested wisely to ensure the building serves the borough for generations. 

“The building is in a great location with good – and improving - public transport links.  

“The people of Dudley have a police station they can be proud of.” 

Dudley police station is the second new police station to open in the West Midlands this year.  

In July, a new police station opened in Sutton Coldfield when service transferred from the old building to a new facility at the opposite end of the site.  

Stechford police station and Wolverhampton Central are currently undergoing major refurbishments to improve facilities and secure their long-term future. 

Police & Crime Commissioner, Simon Foster, said: “This is welcome news for Dudley.

“I committed to delivering a new, modern police station for the town, and I am now delivering on that commitment, exactly as I pledged to do. 

"This is part of my plan to rebuild community policing, to ensure we have an accessible, reassuring and visible police presence.  

“This new facility will be fit for 21st century policing and will serve as a vital hub for police officers and staff, including local neighbourhood and response teams. 

"It will be a crucial point of contact for the public, and it will ensure the police have the resources they need to prevent and tackle crime and keep people and communities, throughout the Dudley Local Policing Area, safe and secure.” 

Councillor Keiran Casey and residents have spoken of their delight at the opening of the new Dudley Police HQ, which Councillor Casey had secured the pledge for in 2019 alongside former MP Ian Austin and working with the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner and local residents.

The Councillor for Castle and Priory Ward said: “I’m delighted that our campaign and years of hard work have paid off and we’ve now got a brand-new Dudley Police Station back in the north of the Borough, including a home for Force Response and a publicly accessible front desk.

"Residents have said to me for years that they want to see a police station back near Dudley Town Centre, and this is something I promised residents I would help to deliver, so that’s why I’ve been relentless in ensuring this progressed and has now come to fruition, working alongside our West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner Simon Foster, so my big thanks go to him for delivering on this pledge for Dudley.

"Crime and anti-social behaviour is one of the top issues that residents raise with me, so I’m extremely pleased this new station is within the ward I represent and I have no doubt that this will make a big difference in trying to tackle the issues residents raise with me, as well as those right across Dudley."

Local resident Gordon Laird, who has been supporting Councillor Casey’s campaign, said: “It’s fantastic to see this new station open at the Castlegate complex and this is something many residents, my neighbours and those I speak to in the town centre tell me was desperately needed.

“This will make a big difference locally I think, and I want to say a massive thank you to Keiran as the local councillor who has been leading this right from the start, working with us and our West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner”.

Dudley MP Sonia Kumar also spoke about the benefits for Dudley now the station had been opened.

She said: “The opening of this new £6 million police headquarters is a major step forward for Dudley, and I’m proud that it has been delivered with the backing of the Labour Government’s investment in policing and community safety. 

"This state-of-the-art base will strengthen neighbourhood policing, improve response times, and give officers the modern facilities they need to keep our streets safe.

"As part of our plan to rebuild trust and visibility in local policing, Dudley will also see new neighbourhood police officers arriving in April, making sure residents feel supported by officers who know their communities well and are present on our streets.

"Dudley residents deserve visible, effective policing, and this new station is a clear sign of our commitment to tackling crime, boosting neighbourhood presence and putting community safety at the centre of our town’s future.”