Suspects in Corby, Northamptonshire have been instructed to take photos of themselves at a short-staffed police station to prove they are complying with their bail conditions due to the police hub only being open two days a week. A typed notice at the front desk apologised “for any inconvenience”, with the notice also giving instructions to “bail signers,” which are suspects who are given bail with a condition that they report regularly to a police station. They were told to ring 101 or “take a photo on your phone, proving yourself as being at the front desk” and “sign on one of these pieces of paper, put date and time and place through hatch.”
Police officers moved out of their station in Elizabeth Street to the multi-million-pound Corby Cube building in 2017. The local MP, Labour’s Lee Barron, has called for a review of the decision to restrict the opening hours of the police hub front desk, stating it “makes a mockery of the judicial system”. Mr Barron said that handwritten notes or photos being sufficient evidence to ensure those on bail are meeting their bail conditions was totally unacceptable and that a hub that can meet the demands of the community needs to be set up so that appropriate resources can be allocated to police officers to enable them to do their jobs effectively.
However, a Northamptonshire Police spokesperson said that they are currently dealing with a shortage of front desk staff, which has led to reduced hours of opening, but new staff are currently going through the vetting process with a view to the normal service resuming soon. The Corby Neighbourhood Policing Team is based at the Corby Cube, so there is a police presence at the location should they be required. It is unclear how long the situation will last, but in the meantime, suspects must comply with the unusual bail instructions in place.
The situation raises concerns about the lack of resources and funding allocated to police stations, resulting in staff shortages and reduced hours of operation. The temporary arrangement means that the current justice system in Corby is hindered, and the police force must swiftly address the staffing and service issues in place at present to ensure the community’s safety and compliance
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