Victims of crime may have to seek help from police while picking up their weekly shop at the supermarket as it is announced Bedfordshire’s stations are to be reviewed.
Beds Police and Crime Commissioner, Olly Martins, has launched a public survey to help decide the future of policing and says tough choices need to be made over the police stations that are costing £3m annually to run and maintain.
Since officers working in Leighton Buzzard were forced to begin and end their shift at Luton, Leighton-Linslade Town Council has been vocal in their opinion that the move has had a direct impact on the town.
Councillor David Bowater said: “We are arranging for a petition to keep our local facilities to be available at Saturday’s market.”
And in recent Tweets to the Commissioner, Mr Bowater again made his feelings heard. He said: “I felt safe until a few months ago when Beds Police became Luton Police.”
And on the prospect of police having a supermarket base, he quipped: “Mr Martins won’t tell us if we’ll get Clubcard points.”
Speaking after the survey was launched this week, Mr Martins said: “This survey is vital in helping us to understand what local people want from their police service and how much they are prepared to compromise to achieve it.
“Our finances are finite and to keep as many police officers and PCSOs on our streets we need to look at reducing wastage and utilising our resources in the best way.
“In the future officers will be able to carry out much of their communications and administrative tasks while on the move, which reduces the demand on premises and increases their visibility.”
The deadline for responses is October 1 and people can access the survey at www.bedfordshire.pcc.police.uk/police-stations-survey