A GROUND-BREAKING project offering victims and witnesses a policing-by-appointment service has clocked up its 100,000th visit.

Durham Police launched the service on a trial basis in 2008 and it proved so successful that it was expanded force-wide.

It has since been adopted by 30 forces across the country.

The scheme means that people who contact police with a nonemergency incident can book a home visit from an officer driving police “diary” cars. They can speak to an officer at a time and place convenient to them, allowing officers to deal with emergency or priority incidents as they happen.

“The by-appointment service has proved extremely popular with people, as well as helping us maintain our frontline response,”

said Chief Constable Mike Barton.

“The appointment system has made a huge difference, as people can now plan ahead knowing the police will be there on a nominated day and time.

“It started as an experiment but it’s succeeded beyond our expectations.”