Medway Police Station
Medway Police Station is the main Kent Police facility for the Medway towns, located on Purser Way in Gillingham, Kent. It serves all Medway divisions and replaced several older local stations in Gillingham, Chatham, Rochester and Rainham.
Establishment
The site was procured under a 30‑year Private Finance Initiative concession to be the main Kent Police facility for the Medway towns, located on Purser Way in Gillingham, Kent. The station replaces four former stations:Gillingham Police Station Chatham Police Station Rochester Police Station Rainham Police Station
Infrastructure investor HICL reports that the project reached financial close in July 2004 and had a capital expenditure of £23 million, with construction by Norwest Holst completed in November 2006. The new station was formally opened in March 2007.
Location and access
Medway Police Station sits at the western end of Purser Way, off Pier Road in Gillingham. Nearby bus stops include “Purser Way” and “Gillingham Gate”. These are served by local bus routes such as the 1, 101, 116, 176, 177 and 683. Gillingham railway station – on the Southeastern and Thameslink lines – is about a 10-minute walk away, providing frequent services to London and the Kent coast.
Facilities
The station includes extensive custody and support facilities. Its custody suite is reported to have 40 cells – the largest in Kent – along with dedicated interview and medical rooms. All 12 prosecutors and 4 associates of Kent’s Medway and North Kent Crown Prosecution Service moved into offices at the station in late 2008 to work closely with Kent Police. The building also provides modern amenities such as holding cells and administrative offices, and has space for victim support; for example a special suite for vulnerable victims was part of the station’s design.
Recent developments
In November 2023, Medway’s police-led Community Safety Unit installed an anonymous knife-surrender bin outside the station. The week-long “Save a Life” campaign allowed residents to discard knives and bladed weapons anonymously, aiming to reduce violence. Earlier, in December 2008 the Crown Prosecution Service for Medway and North Kent moved its prosecution team into the Purser Way station, so that prosecutors and police could collaborate more closely on case preparation and charging decisions.
Incidents
In November 2023, Edward Midgley attempted to set fire to Medway police station by pouring a flammable liquid on the reception desk and igniting a rag, which failed to catch fire. He also assaulted a police officer while leaving the building. In April 2024, Midgley pleaded guilty to arson and assaulting an emergency worker and was sentenced to three and a half years in prison.