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The Liberal Democrats have proposed a plan to establish police counters within community venues such as supermarkets, shopping centers, and libraries across England and Wales.
The party asserts that this initiative aims to bolster public confidence in law enforcement, facilitate crime reporting, and encourage the sharing of pertinent information.
The Liberal Democrats suggest that the financial resources required for this increased presence could be secured by abolishing the roles of police and crime commissioners (PCCs), who are elected officials responsible for overseeing police forces.
This policy announcement coincides with the commencement of the party’s four-day annual conference in Bournemouth on Saturday.
According to the Lib Dems, their internal research has revealed a “shocking” reduction in the number of traditional front counters, typically situated within police stations, over the past decade.
In an upcoming address, Lisa Smart, the party’s home affairs spokesperson and MP for Hazel Grove, will contend that “too many people say they never see a police officer” following budget cuts implemented under the previous Conservative government.
However, she is also expected to criticize the Labour Party for offering “little more than pointless soundbites” on community policing during their time in power.
While the party has not specified an exact number of new counters to be established, their “police desk promise” entails opening at least one counter in every local council area throughout England and Wales.
The Lib Dems maintain that the scheme’s costs would be offset by eliminating police commissioners, which they estimate to have cost over £100 million in the four years leading up to 2023. These funds have also been earmarked for rural crime teams.
The Labour government has unveiled plans for PCC responsibilities to be assumed by a new wave of elected mayors in the coming years.
The Lib Dems clarify that these desks would not perform all the functions of traditional police stations but would enable the public to share information and report crimes.
This would represent a more comprehensive role than engagement centers or temporary desks typically utilized by neighborhood police teams, which are sometimes set up in locations like libraries and community centers.
Some police forces have also experimented with installing touch-screen terminals in supermarkets to enhance crime reporting rates.
Nearly half of London’s remaining station front counters are scheduled to close as part of cost-saving measures. The Metropolitan Police initiated the closure of front counters in 2013.
London’s Labour mayor, Sir Sadiq Khan, had previously pledged to maintain at least one 24-hour counter in each of the city’s 32 boroughs.
However, last week, he reversed his position, arguing that the counters were utilized by “very few people” and that the £7 million in savings generated by the closures would be better allocated to an improved command and control center.
This development coincides with the Lib Dem autumn conference in Bournemouth, which will culminate in a speech by party leader Sir Ed Davey on Tuesday.
The party, which gained a significant number of Tory-held seats in last year’s general election, increasing its representation to 72 MPs, is anticipated to use the event to appeal to more liberal-minded Conservative voters by positioning itself as the party of understated patriotism.
Party strategists believe that this strategy could create opportunities to capture additional seats from the Conservatives in regions such as Surrey, Hertfordshire, and Devon.
However, the party also faces a challenge in gaining attention within an increasingly fragmented political landscape, with Reform UK leading in opinion polls, new leadership at the Green Party, and former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn promising to establish a new political party.
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