More than 850 residents of Dyfed-Powys have taken a survey about their thoughts on rural policing.

A total of 866 completed questionnaires have been received by staff at Dyfed-Powys Police headquarters.

The force’s busy six-week public consultation on rural policing ends this weekend and Dyfed-Powys Police and Crime Commissioner Christopher Salmon is eager that as many people as possible have their say.

He said: “I’m determined to gather as much public opinion as possible in order to shape our policing services of the future.

“Dyfed-Powys has the most rural police service in England and Wales so we need to be the country’s experts in rural policing.”

The consultation was launched on July 22 at the Royal Welsh Show and has been promoted at other events across the region. It will help inform a rural policing strategy for the force which covers 52% of Wales’ landmass.

Residents can complete the survey online by visiting the force website - www.dyfed-powys.police.uk – or by requesting a paper version of the form by phoning 01267 226440.

Mr Salmon was elected Police and Crime Commissioner in November. His role is to be the voice of the public in policing and on wider criminal justice matters.

He said: “Dyfed-Powys Police have had a very good public response to the rural policing consultation I asked the Chief Constable to undertake.

“Officers and force personnel have worked hard over the past few weeks to gain as much useful opinion as possible.

“Through September the job will be to analyse the information with the intention of having some proposals to take forward at the end of the month.

“Other proposals and action points will follow over time.”