Closing buildings opening something new

There seems to be an attempt to drum up hysteria about the closure of Police stations in the Forest of Dean and elsewhere. Is it justified?

What do we want from the Police? How does the presence of a building frequented by Police staff and possibly open to the public help us?

I would say calm down everyone who is worried. Surely its not where the police station is, that protects us, it’s where the police activity is that makes an impact.  A building is no good if it is closed and the phone outside doesn’t work or no one answers. A police station can’t help or add anything to the quality of Policing when there is insufficient staff on the desk and you have to wait in a queue to be seen by an enquiry officer who then has to phone the control room for a Police officer to travel to see you or meet you at home later.

Also when you pass a police station and see three four or more marked police cars parked outside don’t you wonder what good the police officers are doing being “indoors,”

Better to have good communication and timely responses. The community needs staff who can be directed through proper analysis of intelligence. A building soaks up money not only to heat, light but other needs, equipment cleaning repairing all this before any money is spent on staffing it.

So I want to see our police officers out on patrol, using their cars as mobile offices. Well managed phone lines where calls can be graded and the appropriate response or advice given. Not everyone wants to or is able to go to a Police station.

Just closing a Police station and freeing up money is not the answer, managers need to manage, motivate and respond to the community. They have to support and direct their staff, as every day dawns renewed energy needs to be given. No building can provide that.

Alison x