10:57am Tuesday 31st May 2011
Croydon could lose all but one of its front counters at police stations in the borough as the Metropolitan Police look to axe frontline services to save money.
The authority is consulting members of the public on plans to cut some of its 138 counters across London.
It is proposing a minimum of one counter per borough which will be open 24 hours a day throughout the week. This is part of a larger consultation into how people contact the police.
Brian Barnes, from the Croydon Borough Neighbourhood Watch, said: "There are many ways of contacting the police and to report crime, whether its online or through mobile telephones.
"But what about the vulnerable who need to seek refuge in an emergency? That is one of the main concerns."
According to the authority, last year only 14 per cent of crimes were reported through front counters and 66 per cent were reported over the phone.
Met Police Commander Tony Eastaugh told the BBC: "Some of our front counters hark back to a different era.
"We now have 630 Safer Neighbourhood Teams, we have surgeries, we have different mechanisms for engagement of police at a local level."
Croydon has two 24-hour front desks, at the main police station on Park Lane and South Norwood. There are also front desk services in Kenley, Norbury, Purley and New Addington.
Steve O Connell, Croydon’s GLA representative who sits on the Metropolitan Police Authority, said the borough needs at least two front counter services.
He said: “Croydon is the biggest borough with the most people and we need at least two 24 hour front counter police services in the borough.
“Our SNTs have some excellent front counters and we need to sustain this service.
“It is still early days and the consultation is ongoing. I will be strongly protecting Croydon from any cuts that come our way.”
The Met was running an online survey into how the public access police services which finished on May 30. However, no decisions will be taken until the consultation has finished this summer.
A spokeswoman said: "No decisions have been taken on closing any individual front counter across the MPS, and the outcome of the Public Access Review will be a key consideration in any decision making to ensure that we continue to meet the needs of Londoners.
"In addition, the MPS is seeking to make best use of all of its buildings including police stations, through the Corporate Real Estate plan. The current agreement is that if the MPA decides to dispose of a building with a front counter then this will be relocated in the local vicinity."
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