Shepherd's Bush Police to Set Up New Base at Westfield
Contact point likely to be open two nights and one afternoon a week
Police are negotiating to set up a new base in Westfield shopping centre after the closure of the front counter at Shepherd’s Bush police station.
However, it looks likely that this new contact point will be open to the public for very limited periods of time.
According to Hammersmith and Fulham Council, it is likely that the contact point will be open just two nights a week plus a Saturday afternoon, with times yet to be agreed.
The station in Uxbridge Road is among 63 front counters across the capital to close. A front counter, operating 24 hours a day, will remain at Hammersmith Police station and a counter will remain open during the day at Fulham Police station.
The council says figures showed that on average just 17 people a day attended the front counter at Shepherds Bush Police station for various reasons such as reporting a crime, collecting or reporting lost property, asking for directions, reporting accidents and also to attend as part of their bail conditions.
Historically the counter had been staffed by police costing taxpayers nearly £100,000 a year.
The closures are part of the Mayor of London's Police and Crime Plan, which was published last month, following a public consultation, in a bid to make the Police more active and visible and save £500 million by 2015.
Changes would see around 2,600 officers redeployed into Safer Neighbourhood Teams across the Met – including 92 more in the borough, taking the total up to 139.
As part of the plan the Met has announced two possible contact points where residents can have face-to-face discussions with local officers about non-urgent matters.
Safer Neighbourhood Teams will continue to work out of Fulham, Shepherd’s Bush and Hammersmith stations.
Meanwhile, H&F Council says it continues to spend £1.3million a year for three enhanced town centre squads of beat Police with local firms adding an extra £350,000 a year. The additional cash means the borough has 42 more Police officers than it would do otherwise.
Cllr Greg Smith, H&F Council Deputy Leader says: "The police and council continue to work tirelessly to drive crime down. But there is more to do and the challenge for the Met is to come up with innovative ways to deliver more beat police officers onto our streets while balancing their budget.
" Releasing more officers from behind their desks and unleashing them onto our streets must be the most sensible option when many more people are reporting crime on their mobiles or online."
To report a crime call 101 or in an emergency call 999.
April 11, 2013
