Express & Star

Protest over Black Country police station front desk closures

Campaigners staged a protest outside a police station in the Black Country just hours before its front desk closed to the public for the final time.

Published

Wednesbury Police Station was among the first batch of stations to be affected by changes which will see 27 front desks closed across the West Midlands.

Concerned residents made their feelings clear about the decision in Wednesbury, holding signs and placards aloft displaying the words 'save our police station'.

Counters have also closed in Old Hill and Tipton, while across the Black Country, stations in Aldridge, Willenhall, Wednesfield, Stourbridge and Halesowen can no longer be accessed by the public.

Police chiefs say the closures are necessary to protect police numbers in the face of central Government funding cuts which have already seen the number of police officers reduced by 16,000.

But campaigners fear the elderly will feel more isolated and people who no longer have a station nearby will be reluctant to report crime.

The nearest station where they can access a front desk will now be in West Bromwich.

Pensioner Maggie Dorsett, of Kendrick Street, Wednesbury, said: "We don't feel this is acceptable, we see more crime in this area now, when a few years ago it was quite reasonable.

"There will be nowhere to go, the telephone system is rubbish.

"About 18 months ago I was mugged and I got something done about it but if people can't feel safe they are going to be tied to their home more and more. I think it's appalling."

Allan Inskip, aged 67, of Oak Tree Road, Wednesbury, said: "Many elderly people like a place they can converse with someone. Everything now is done by computer or phone and the elderly don't feel at ease with that.

"It's taking more facilities away from the elderly. It is only going to isolate them further.

"People from Wednesbury are not going to go to West Bromwich. What is the point in reporting something if they feel that nothing is going to be done and nobody cares.

"It's alright if you are young, you can jump in the car but people who are 70 or 80 will just give up."

Wednesbury councillor Elaine Costigan said she was hopeful the decision could be overturned if Labour get into government in May.

"We are totally against the closure. We are showing them they can't just do what they want," she said.

"There is a huge supermarket across the road, what if something happens there? It's a disgrace."

Sorry, we are not accepting comments on this article.