Police are launching a series of 'zero tolerance' crackdowns.

The move follows this week's announcement that from today Dartmouth's police station will reopen for two hours per week.

The station complex has been closed to the public since May following a major policing shakeup which saw the town's entire police response team shifted to Totnes and the front office clerk – who dealt with public inquiries – transferred.

But from today – and every Friday afterwards – the doors will be open again between 11am and 1pm.

The announcement coincided with the police team revealing a planned crime crackdown, with officers targeting everything from drug abuse and under age boozing to speeding.

They have already drawn up plans for a series of operations involving the town pubs, clubs and shops which will include covert 'test purchases' to catch out rogue licensees selling booze and cigarettes to underage youngsters.

The crackdown will also include roadside operations targeting car owners who drive without tax or insurance or who are committing seat belt and other traffic offences.

PCSO Alex D'Aprano warned that the operations spread across the next two months were being launched to have an impact on crime and not an attempt to educate and warn.

'We are going to be hitting Dartmouth quite hard over the next few months,' he said. ' There will be zero tolerance. It will not be warning and education. It will be tickets, points, fines and prosecutions.'

The police team is linking up with Devon County Council, South Hams Council, the town's licensees, Dartmouth Academy, trading standards and revenue and customs for the various operations.

Last week, police seized a Nissan pick up after a Dartmouth driver was caught in a stop check at the top of Townstal Road allegedly driving without tax or insurance.

The crackdown will include illegal drug use, illegal use of red diesel and even the sale of counterfeit booze as officers visit various premises across the town.

'We are aware that there are problems and we intend to tackle them robustly,' said PCSO D'Aprano.

He pointed out that while Dartmouth is still a low crime area 'we are trying to make the town a safer place for everyone'.

He added: 'Basically we will be rolling out a series of pro-active operations over the next two months.'

Speaking about the reopening of the police station, PC Rebecca Sutton said: 'I think the public's perception of how they could get hold of a police officer was of some concern to them.

'By doing this we are literally opening the door and saying we are still here and we are still working from Dartmouth police station.'

PC Sutton said the police team would be running the Friday morning meet-the-public sessions for a trial period as a direct result of concerns over the closure of the police station.

'They will be able to talk to us about anything. They can have a chat and voice any concerns that they may have. Ideally if they have a crime to report they would report it over the telephone but some people like to have face-to-face contact.

'There will either be a PCSO or a police officer here to talk to the public, depending on their duties.'

Dartmouth police station was open on a daily basis with its own desk clerk until the shake up which also saw the police station at Kingsbridge close to the general public.

PC Sutton said that almost from the day the police station at Dartmouth closed there had been a steady stream of people trying to access the station.

Up to three or four people a day have been knocking on the back door of the station to try and pass on their concerns, report thefts, hand in property or report lost items.

'There has been a regular concern that people were not able to make contact or didn't feel there was easy access to us,' she added. 'I do think that in Dartmouth people like to have face-to-face contact with officers.'