(Image: Tom Banks)
A new County Durham investigative hub has saved more than £800,000 and returned thousands of policing hours to frontline duties, according to a new report.
The Durham Investigative Hub has also cut detainee waiting times and operational delays, the report says.
Commissioned by County Durham and Darlington Police and Crime Commissioner Joy Allen, the report comes nearly two years after the £26.3 million facility near Spennymoor opened.
Ms Allen said: "The Investigative Hub is proving exactly why this investment was needed.
"It is helping officers spend more time fighting crime and less time tied up in administration, travel and delays, while also delivering significant savings for taxpayers.
"These results show that modern, well-designed facilities can transform the way policing operates.
"The Hub is improving efficiency, supporting better outcomes for detainees, enhancing staff wellbeing and helping to ensure the public receives the high-quality service it deserves.
"I am particularly pleased to see benefits being felt not only within the organisation but also across our communities.
"This project demonstrates what can be achieved when innovation, partnership and public value are placed at the heart of policing."
Bringing key policing functions under one roof has saved money, cut travel times and freed officers for frontline duties, the report says.
It also reports better detainee care and more effective policing across County Durham and Darlington.
The hub has 48 custody cells across four wings, including a dedicated suite for vulnerable detainees and children.
It also houses specialist detectives, crime-scene investigators, evidence stores and the firearms licensing department.
Since opening in December 2024, the facility has delivered:
- £809,000 in financial savings through service consolidation, including £100,000 in custody overtime reductions.
- Shorter detention times, with children spending two hours less in custody on average and adults 40 minutes less.
- Faster booking-in processes, enabling officers to return to frontline duties more quickly.
- 1,080 staff hours and 15,000 miles saved annually by investigation teams.
- A 61 per cent reduction in custody support abstractions, down from 675 shifts to 263.
- Fewer hospital transfers due to 24/7 on-site healthcare, with only 5.18 per cent of detainees requiring hospital treatment in July 2026.
Building and running the hub has generated more than £25 million in social value, with most work carried out by contractors from Durham and the wider North East.
The project introduced a Social Value Toolkit to help police suppliers maximise the social and economic benefits of their contracts.
The report was presented to the police and crime panel.