Final Chichester Police Station open day in 2017 saw huge swell of support

The last open day, held in July 2017, saw a swell of support from the public, with people desperate to be part of it all one last time.

Favourite activities such as the fingertip coin search and trying out a truncheon were included, visitors enjoyed getting involved in the dog and public order display, and there were various demonstrations and displays from partnering emergency services.

Families learned valuable lessons in the interactive day out, with First Responders showing how to do CPR and chip pan fire demonstrations from firefighters at West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service, alongside the fun of face painting, bouncy castles, an ice cream van and a grand raffle.

Visitors also had an opportunity to examine the masterplan for the Southern Gateway project as part of the ongoing consultation that was taking place at the time. The plans included land by the police station in Kingsham Road, possibly for a new custody centre.

Earlier in the year, Chichester Police took to social media to say the open day would be the last but they would be looking for other ways to engage in the future.

Funds raised went to Chestnut Tree House children's hospice and the new Tangmere dementia support hub, the first of its kind in the area for people with dementia, their families, friends and carers.

Officers across the Arun and Chichester districts took part in the annual event, supported by Selsey Coastguard, St John Ambulance, Sussex Search and Rescue and The Lifecentre.

The police estimated between 12,000 and 15,000 people went to the last open day at Chichester Police Station. It was an opportunity to show how the police keep their communities safe with partners across Chichester and Arun, and thankfully, it was a dry day.