The Councillor of Twickenham Riverside ward sheds light on concern that born of the shutdown of Twickenham’s 24/7 police counter.
Twickenham was among the five 24/7 front counters proposed to close, as part of a cost saving plan to address a £260 million funding shortfall.
Liberal Democrat councillor, James Chard, who represents the Twickenham Riverside ward, said: “Whilst we live in a safe borough overall, Twickenham is a lively destination, particularly on a Friday or Saturday night and following matches at the Allianz Stadium or at Harlequins.
“That can be fun but there can also be problems associated with it.
“Having a prominent Police Station on a busy road, with a front counter open 24/7 provides a visible sign the Police are active in the area and is a great reassurance to residents and visitors that help is at hand if needed.”
Chard raised a vital concern when it comes to the police station being a haven for anyone in distress, acknowledging that there are few better places to seek refuge than in a police station where people can trust their source of help.
He said: “The Police Station is available as a place of refuge for anyone in a difficult situation, but particularly for women.
“The closure of the front counter is short sighted, a clear breach of a promise made by London’s Mayor at the last election, and a huge loss for the people of Twickenham.”
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “We will continue to support the Met to deliver what Londoners want – boosting visible neighbourhood policing on our streets and making local officers more accessible in our communities.
“We want to do more to build on the record reductions in violence and homicides achieved in the capital, and I will continue to support the police and make the case to government for the funding the Met needs – to ensure we can continue building a safer London for everyone.”
The press release detailing the proposal said: ‘The reduction is part of a much wider change programme – where the Met is making cuts and efficiencies incrementally over the year to close the funding gap and restructuring to redistribute our officers and staff so they can work in the most effective places to deliver for London.’
Based on feedback from Londoners, it was understood that having a service desk in the area was more important than having the desk kept open 24/7.
Counters that will remain open are a result of their demand – Assistant Commissioner Matt Twist said: “The Met is having to shrink to live within its means and as the public would expect, we are targeting our resources on a narrower set of their priorities to make London safer.”
Only 27 counters will remain open across the city operating between the hours of Monday-Friday, 10am-10pm and 9-7pm on weekends.
Image credit: Madigan Gallagher
