Colchester MP challenges night closure of police stations
5:00pm Tuesday 13th September 2011
COLCHESTER MP Bob Russell has challenged the Home Secretary over plans to shut Essex’s main police stations overnight.
Essex Police want to close front desks at main stations in towns such as Colchester, Clacton and Braintree between midnight and 8am from next month as part of a plan to save £2.5million.
Mr Russell told the House of Commons yesterday the front office of police stations constituted part of frontline services, which, as such, should not be cut.
He asked Home Secretary Theresa May to place in the Commons Library “a definition and examples” of what comprised police “back office and middle office functions”.
Front counters at smaller stations, including Wivenhoe, West Mersea, Copford and Ipswich Road, Colchester, will be permanently closed, if the proposals go ahead.
Essex Police insist many stations are rarely visited by the public and say the changes will make reporting crimes easier, encouraging people to use the phone.
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