Overnight closure of Stourbridge Police Station to public goes ahead (From Stourbridge News)

Overnight closure of Stourbridge Police Station to public goes ahead

4:31pm Friday 10th February 2012 in News

STOURBRIDGE Police Station will be downgraded and closed to the public overnight from April 1.

The West Midlands Police public consultation announced after the public outcry concerning the slashing of police station opening times has finished and the original plan will implemented.

Stourbridge Police Station, currently open to the public 24 hours a day, will have an operational front desk between 10am and 6pm.

Last year the station’s cell blocks were mothballed and local people are now placed in custody elswhere in the borough.

Chief Constable Chris Simms laid out the reasons for the drastic cut in hours in a report to the West Midlands Police Authority ahead of a meeting on Thursday, February 16.

He said: “It is clear from our consultation survey that when people want to contact us in a none emergency, their preferred method is by telephone on the 0345 or 101 numbers.

“By making these changes we are able to improve call handling and also ultimately return some police officers to visible policing.”

He added: “Maintaining the current hours can and does place challenges on LPU commanders in balancing the; need to staff contact centres, deploy officers on patrol and maintain coverage for the full opening hours.

“The revised hours make this achievable. We will provide at each of the sites a telephone call point to ensure member of the public who arrives at a station can summon help if required.”

The force has also stated that there will be a police station open to the public 24 hours a day within four miles of 99 per cent of households in the West Midlands.

Over 40,000 people were contacted concerning the public consultation and 228 people filled out detailed questionnaires concerning the opening times of station front desks.

Of the 12 police stations earmarked for shorter front desk opening times six were will be opening longer than originally planned.

Derek Webley, Chair of West Midlands Police Authority, said: “Front desk opening times have generated interest across the West Midlands.

“The Authority’s responsibility is to make sure that the Force has conducted an effective and wide-ranging consultation, and that the decisions take into consideration the public’s views.”

He added: “The Authority has exercised its responsibility to ensure that the consultation period was extended to give the public additional opportunities to influence the decisions.”