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Paul Seddon, a political reporter, covers the Liberal Democrats’ push for police forces throughout England and Wales to establish counters in various public venues, such as supermarkets, shopping centers, and libraries. The party believes that introducing these counters would not only increase public trust in law enforcement but also facilitate the reporting of crimes and sharing of information. The funding for this initiative could potentially come from eliminating police and crime commissioners (PCCs), the individuals responsible for overseeing forces.
During their annual conference in Bournemouth, the Liberal Democrats unveiled their “police desk promise,” citing their research showing a significant decrease in front counters within police stations over the past decade. Hazel Grove MP Lisa Smart, the party’s spokesperson for home affairs, criticized the previous Conservative government’s cuts, emphasizing that many individuals claim they seldom encounter police officers due to these reductions. Moreover, she denounced the Labour government for offering inadequate solutions on community policing.
Although the Liberal Democrats have not specified the exact number of new counters to be established, their proposal aims to introduce at least one counter in every local council area across England and Wales. To cover the costs of this initiative, the party suggests scrapping the existing police commissioners, estimated to have cost over £100 million by 2023. This financial approach aligns with their prior allocation of funds for rural crime teams. Meanwhile, the Labour government plans to transition PCC responsibilities to newly elected mayors in the upcoming years.
The Liberal Democrats envision these proposed desks as providing a platform for the public to report crimes and share information, surpassing the functionality of engagement centers or temporary pop-up desks utilized by neighborhood policing units. In an effort to enhance crime reporting rates, some police forces have experimented with touch-screen terminals in supermarkets. Notably, nearly half of London’s remaining station front counters are set to close, aiming to save costs. The capital’s mayor, Sir Sadiq Khan, reversed his commitment to maintain 24-hour counters in all boroughs, emphasizing that these counters serve only a limited number of individuals, with savings redirected towards an improved command and control center
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