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| Police could use post offices as high street bases | Police could use post offices as high street bases |
| (4 months later) | |
| A quarter of police forces in England and Wales are in talks with the Post Office about closing police stations to the public and moving front-desk operations on to the high street. | A quarter of police forces in England and Wales are in talks with the Post Office about closing police stations to the public and moving front-desk operations on to the high street. |
| The move comes as a report by the centre-right thinktank Policy Exchange urges all forces to adopt a policy of replacing police stations with "cops in shops". | The move comes as a report by the centre-right thinktank Policy Exchange urges all forces to adopt a policy of replacing police stations with "cops in shops". |
| It follows the example of the Metropolitan police, which announced plans in January to close 63 out of its 136 police stations to the public and replace them with 94 new "contact points": mini-police bureaux in shops and post offices. | It follows the example of the Metropolitan police, which announced plans in January to close 63 out of its 136 police stations to the public and replace them with 94 new "contact points": mini-police bureaux in shops and post offices. |
| The report, Rebooting the PC, by Professor Martin Innes of Cardiff University police science institute, also recommends a modern-day version of the "Tardis" police box that would enable the public to report crime, provide witness statements and discuss concerns over a video link. | The report, Rebooting the PC, by Professor Martin Innes of Cardiff University police science institute, also recommends a modern-day version of the "Tardis" police box that would enable the public to report crime, provide witness statements and discuss concerns over a video link. |
| So far 10 police forces, including a Scottish force, an East Midlands force and the City of London police, are in talks with the Post Office over transferring front-office counter tasks. A Post Office spokeswoman confirmed that talks with other forces are under way. She said they were exploring opportunities to carry out a number of police tasks, including reporting lost property and checking vehicle documents. | So far 10 police forces, including a Scottish force, an East Midlands force and the City of London police, are in talks with the Post Office over transferring front-office counter tasks. A Post Office spokeswoman confirmed that talks with other forces are under way. She said they were exploring opportunities to carry out a number of police tasks, including reporting lost property and checking vehicle documents. |
| Figures from one police force reveal the average cost of a front counter transaction can be as high as £50; this could fall to about £5 if the Post Office provided these services. | Figures from one police force reveal the average cost of a front counter transaction can be as high as £50; this could fall to about £5 if the Post Office provided these services. |
| Innes says Post Office branches – which carry out initial checks on passport, car tax and driving licence applications and carry out biometric checks for residence permits – could take on initial processing of firearm licence applications. He says the police would still make key decisions about whether to grant the licence but the paperwork could be carried out by Post Office counter staff. | Innes says Post Office branches – which carry out initial checks on passport, car tax and driving licence applications and carry out biometric checks for residence permits – could take on initial processing of firearm licence applications. He says the police would still make key decisions about whether to grant the licence but the paperwork could be carried out by Post Office counter staff. |
| Many police stations have seen a dramatic decline in public visitors over the last seven years, with some stations now seeing fewer than seven visitors a day. One Met survey shows that reporting a crime accounts for only 11% of those who call in: a further 20% wanted to report or hand in lost property, and 12% wanted general information or to ask for directions. | Many police stations have seen a dramatic decline in public visitors over the last seven years, with some stations now seeing fewer than seven visitors a day. One Met survey shows that reporting a crime accounts for only 11% of those who call in: a further 20% wanted to report or hand in lost property, and 12% wanted general information or to ask for directions. |
| Innes points out that the number of people reporting crimes at police front counters has fallen by over 100,000 – almost half – since 2006-07. Last year fewer than one in eight crimes were reported this way. | Innes points out that the number of people reporting crimes at police front counters has fallen by over 100,000 – almost half – since 2006-07. Last year fewer than one in eight crimes were reported this way. |
| The Policy Exchange report argues it is better for police services to be in places the public actually use, such as shopping centres or the high street. Innes said: "Around the country there has been uproar whenever chief constables or police and crime commissioners suggest they might want to close some police stations. | The Policy Exchange report argues it is better for police services to be in places the public actually use, such as shopping centres or the high street. Innes said: "Around the country there has been uproar whenever chief constables or police and crime commissioners suggest they might want to close some police stations. |
| "However, the truth is that most crime is reported by phone, many stations are getting old and increasingly expensive to maintain and are often located in the wrong places, away from key population centres. | "However, the truth is that most crime is reported by phone, many stations are getting old and increasingly expensive to maintain and are often located in the wrong places, away from key population centres. |
| "Rather than just thinking about closing police stations, it might be more productive to engage local people in conversations about replacing outdated police stations with more local police offices. These offices could even serve as operational bases for local neighbourhood policing teams." | "Rather than just thinking about closing police stations, it might be more productive to engage local people in conversations about replacing outdated police stations with more local police offices. These offices could even serve as operational bases for local neighbourhood policing teams." |
| Steve White, vice-chairman of the Police Federation of England and Wales, said: "We support any initiative which directs funding to operational policing. However, police stations are accessible to the public, day and night, something which is not provided by local shops and businesses. Therefore we hope this would be taken into account." | Steve White, vice-chairman of the Police Federation of England and Wales, said: "We support any initiative which directs funding to operational policing. However, police stations are accessible to the public, day and night, something which is not provided by local shops and businesses. Therefore we hope this would be taken into account." |
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