Statement On Police Station Closures

A joint statement from Staffordshire Police Chief Constable Mike Cunningham and David Pearsall, Chairman of Staffordshire Police Authority:

Staffordshire Police has not yet made any final decisions to close particular police stations in the county.

We will not close any stations unless and until alternative bases are found within a particular locality.

Whilst we face an unprecedented financial challenge we are looking at new ways of retaining our frontline officers to meet the needs of our communities.

We have already streamlined our management and command structures so that we can continue to keep officers out on the streets.

Our most valuable resource is our people and we are considering how we deploy our officers in the best possible way so that we can respond to community needs.

It is also important to stress that we are committed to protecting the number of officers in neighbourhood roles and our local enquiry offices and for them to remain based at the very heart of the communities they serve.

Proposals are currently being considered for response teams to be briefed at fewer locations from April 2011 but will not automatically mean that these stations will close. Current response bases affected by the proposals include:

- Rugeley (officers being briefed at Cannock)
- Stone (officers being briefed at Stafford)
- Kidsgrove (officers being briefed at Newcastle)
- Cheadle (officers being briefed at Leek)

However, it is important to stress that response officers will continue to patrol the same areas as they did before and – by working differently – will continue to provide high quality services. Policing is delivered through our people and not through our buildings.

The use of mobile devices has also enabled our officers to work from various locations, rather than traditionally working from a dedicated police station.

As a result of the review, it was identified that some of our buildings are no longer ideally suitable – they are either too expensive to maintain or are in the wrong location to provide the best service to our communities.

We are working with the Police Authority to consult local partners and councillors to find more suitable locations to work from - preferably in partnership – and in the heart of our communities.

Those stations currently being considered and consulted upon include Uttoxeter, Lichfield, Rugeley, Wombourne, Stone, Kidsgrove, Newcastle, Burslem and Stoke. We are also looking at a number of smaller police posts.

Again, although no decision has yet been made, this could see us sharing buildings with partner agencies and may see us in schools, church halls, libraries and shops.