End of an era as 15 Suffolk police stations close to public

Felixstowe Police Station will close its front counter along with 14 other stations in Suffolk.

A chapter of Suffolk’s policing history will come to an end this weekend as 15 out of the county’s 18 police stations close to the public.

Share Email this article to a friend To send a link to this page you must be logged in.

As from Monday only three locations – Museum Street in Ipswich, Bury St Edmunds and Lowestoft – will have their front counters open. All the other stations will remain operational.

The move is part of the Local Policing Review, a wide-ranging restructuring of Suffolk Constabulary.

The workers’ union UNISON said 10 station clerks are being made redundant and warned of the impact the changes will have on communities.

Suffolk Chief Constable Gareth Wilson said: “The changes being made to public access at our police stations are just a small part of a significant re-design of our policing services.

“A huge amount of work has gone into understanding patterns of crime and the demand we face, but also how members of the public choose to communicate with us.

“Our research has shown us that people are less and less likely to contact us via a front counter at a police station, and the reasons why they are visiting us can be dealt with in different ways. We can check people’s driving documents online, custody cells are no longer located at police stations and the vast majority of people choose to speak to us via the telephone or online.

“As a result, I have moved staff based in these places to where they can better contribute to effective policing and enhanced the alternative ways in which people can get in touch.

“As an organisation we are becoming far more responsive to the modern era, investing in technology to improve operational policing, but also through enhanced telephony systems in our control room and through our work to enhance our website and digital engagement.

“This enables us to place police officers where they are needed most – within local communities.

“I am extremely confident that our new model will provide policing services that are right for today and that are ready to respond to the challenges of the future.”

However, Mark Trask the Suffolk police branch secretary of UNISON, said: “April 4 marks a sad day for Suffolk as 15 of 18 police stations will be closed to the public.

“The true impact on the public is yet to be seen, but the immediate toll on our long-serving police staff has been severe with 10 station clerks being made redundant.

“UNISON locally and nationally continue to raise the public’s attention to true impact on our communities as a result of the reductions of financing to police budgets.

“Crime continues to rise, yet the home office continues to cut.

“The closure of police stations to the public is just one area where reductions are being made, reductions to the number of PCSO’s and many other staff roles are making it more difficult for Suffolk Constabulary to serve the Suffolk public.”

Police and Crime Commissioner Tim Passmore conceded the closure of 15 front counters is “certainly regrettable and even sad, because it represents a break with tradition”

However, he added: “Policing has always had to change and adapt to different circumstances and patterns of crime.

“Every station has a 24 hour intercom for public use. Ultimately this change is about using police resources in the most effective way possible and the closure of these front desks will save over £750,000 every year meaning an extra 15 officers can be employed full time.

“Whilst this has been a difficult decision, I am certain it has been taken for the right reasons and will be fully vindicated in the future.”

What do you think? E-mail eadtletters@eadt.co.uk or write to Letters to the Editor, EADT, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN.

Tim Passmore’s column – page 50.

Hadleigh

Stowmarket

Capel St Mary

Sudbury

Woodbridge

Felixstowe

Leiston

Halesworth

Ixworth

Newmarket

Haverhill

Brandon

Mildenhall

Beccles

Eye