Police work hard all over the country to keep people safe, but there are often misconceptions about what they do.

Here are some that you may not know about police in Hertsmere.

The police station is now located next to Hertsmere Borough Council’s Civic Offices. There is no direct access or reception area, so anyone wanting to contact the police need to use the yellow phone outside the council entrance.

Police officers work very closely with a number of bodies, from offering victim support, to offering preventative advice to children and the elderly to make sure they know the signs to avoid danger.

Professional officers work very closely with a large team of special constable, who offer their services on a voluntary basis. They play an important role in working with the residents. Roughly half of the volunteers are gaining experience to in order to pursue a career with the police, but many others do it because they want to give something back to the community.

Although the job can be demanding when officers are put in stressful situations, there is a lot of work that the police do behind the scenes talking to witnesses or victims, getting everything together to prosecute suspects in court, and lots of paperwork.

There are about 160 officers working in different teams across Hertsmere and there are always officers from each unit on call at all times.

Although officers are intent on catching criminal, it is concern for the victim that it their priority.

Chief Inspector Steve O’Keefe said: “Our service is made up of local cops who are proud of the area, so when someone commits a crime on our turf we take it very seriously.

“Victims are at the forefront of everything we do, whether that is helping to prevent them from suffering a crime, offering support or seeking justice on their behalf.”

Many calls are made to the police, and roughly eight arrests are made each day in the borough for a wide-range of offences.

There are no cells in the Borehamwood station. If someone needs to be detained for the safety of the public, they will be taken to the station in Hatfield or Stevenage, which have around 60 cells between them.

The police deal with a high number of domestic violence claims. It’s a crime more prevalent than people may realise, and victims are from all classes, cultures, religions, genders and sexual orientation.

Many of the thefts and burglaries committed in the area are done by people who drive to the borough to commit their crimes. The area is unique with its well-connected roadways, but police are aware of the routes used, and monitor them carefully.