Norfolk’s top police officer has said a 'complex crime' police station taking shape on the outskirts of Norwich will be on the frontline of modern policing.

Broadland Police Station, currently being constructed near the Postwick junction of the A47, will see detective resources brought together under one roof, enabling access to modern technology needed to tackle complex crime.

It marks the final project of a five-year modernisation programme and investment in frontline investigation as the force changes the way it works towards “policing in a digital age”.

Chief constable Paul Sanford said much crime was now hidden from view, including increasing cases of domestic abuse, sex abuse, fraud and issues around mental ill health.

It expects further challenges in the coming years with rising incidents of stalking and harassment and violence.

He said: “We’ve already seen the impact of increasing violence with six murders in the county this year, a number we normally see in a year.

“We’ve secured arrests in all cases and charges in most of them. While the parties involved in all incidents have been known to one another, the rise in violence is of course a concern and we know the majority are linked to domestic abuse, drugs, or mental health.

“Mental Health is also a major cause of the 4,400 missing person reports we investigated last year and the growing amount of time our officers are spending with people in distress.”

Broadland Gate Police Station, due to be completed this autumn, will be a central hub for detective investigations, safeguarding, crime scene investigation and public protection services.

Mr Sanford, who has been chief for almost six months having previously led the force temporarily since July 2021, added: “We revamped our policing model with a vision to ensure the constabulary is future proofed against the complex challenges of policing over the next decade."

He said the intelligence-led approach to tackling county lines drug dealing was an example of the “whole-service approach”.

“We’ve arrested and prosecuted thousands of people and disrupted drug supplies and the threat of violence.

"However, there’s still a demand for drugs in the county by the many people who have addictions, and this is being tackled through Project Adder, a partnership health-focused approach dealing with the long-term problems of addiction," he added.