Police stations closed to the public last year could be reopened, Gwent’s Police and Crime Commissioner has said.
In July 2012, Caerphilly town, Bedwas, Risca and Ystrad Mynach Police Stations all closed to the public under former Chief Constable Carmel Napier.
Ian Johnston, who forced Mrs Napier to retire earlier this year, said: “We are reviewing the process and procedure that resulted in police stations being closed.
“We are doing this in consultation with Gwent Police’s Deputy Chief Constable Lorraine Bottomley and local police commanders, who have been asked to answer the consultation around the need for police stations to be opened.”
Mr Johnston added: “I have attended over 200 meetings in the last 12 months and police station closures are seen by the public to have been very badly handled and a great deal of feedback has related specifically to Caerphilly Police Station.”
Plaid Cymru AM Lindsay Whittle, who earlier this month called for the reopening of Caerphilly police station, said: “The former Chief Constable was wrong to shut Caerphilly and leave a town with a growing population of more than 30,000 without a station accessible to the public. It was a very short-sighted decision.
“So I am really pleased that the Police and Crime Commissioner has taken on board my concerns and the concerns of others very seriously and has agreed to look at re-establishing a police office presence in Caerphilly.”
I'd prefer to see a numerically larger police force with more Constables on the beat than to use the police budget on maintaining and heating buildings. It would be more satisfying and cheaper to see real policemen/women on duty in our towns than to have expensive police stations unmanned for 12 hours a day.
I didn't hear Lyndsay Whittle saying anything when the Police Station was shut. I remember Labours Wayne David presenting a large petition to the now redundant Chief Constable though. Lyndsay surprisingly doesn't make reference to this in his quote though.