Police respond after rat infestation at MoD Southwick Park where instructors had vermin "on their desks"
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Police have issued a response after a rat infestation broke out at a shared military facility.
Vermin were seen crawling over desks and getting into several rooms at MoD Southwick Park. Formerly known as HMS Dryad - with the site playing a crucial role in preparing the D-Day landings - it currently houses the Defence School of Policing, Security and Guarding.
The pest problem began in August while a derelict building was being demolished, with issues persisting since. An MoD spokesperson previously confirmed that a contractor has surveyed the full site, with a number of measures significantly reducing the number of rats on the site.
They added that all affected offices have been deep cleaned, with Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary being fully informed about what has happened and the progress to fix it. Police driving instructors regularly work at Southwick Park.
The Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) manages the force estate. An OPCC spokesperson said: “As previously explained by the MoD, their demolition activity on the site displaced rats which is a common symptom of construction work, however this has not had an impact on operational policing or training.
“The Constabulary and the OPCC Estates team continue to work with the MoD to ensure it implements a variety of pest control measures to support police officers and staff working at the shared site, and to address any issues raised as the work continues.”
As previously reported in The News, an anonymous source said officers have “had rats on their desks, in drawers looking for food and all over their office space”. “The rest room has just been closed as rats have made such a mess looking for food,” they added. “The smell from the rat excrement stinks.
“Other teams have been moved out to Netley, or are working from home, but driver training still have to work in the rat-infested offices,” they added. “This has been going on for weeks, with nobody listening to our concerns.”