Lib Dems push police desks in supermarkets and libraries
Plan would install police counters in venues across England and Wales, funded by scrapping PCCs, to boost reporting and public confidence
The Liberal Democrats have proposed opening police desks in venues such as supermarkets, shopping centres and libraries across England and Wales, arguing the move would boost public confidence in policing and make it easier for people to report crime and share information. The policy would require at least one desk in every local council area, with the costs covered by scrapping Police and Crime Commissioners, a move the party says could free up funds for rural crime teams.
The Lib Dems say front counters inside police stations have declined sharply over the past decade and that many people feel they rarely see a police officer. The plan will be announced at the start of the party’s four day autumn conference in Bournemouth, where Hazel Grove MP Lisa Smart, the home affairs spokesperson, will argue that too many people do not see a visible policing presence after cuts under the previous government. Smart will also criticise Labour for offering little more than soundbites on community policing so far during its time in power. While the desks would not replicate all functions of a police station, the party says they would give the public a practical way to report crime and seek information, expanding beyond the role of engagement centres or pop up desks used by neighbourhood teams.
Some forces have already experimented with touch screen terminals in supermarkets to boost crime reporting, while the policy notes that front counters are not a substitute for full police stations. In London, almost half of the remaining front counters are due to close as a cost saving. The Metropolitan Police began closing front counters in 2013, and London Mayor Sadiq Khan had previously pledged to retain at least one 24 hour counter in each of the 32 boroughs but said last week that the savings could be redirected to a more integrated command and control centre.
The policy lands as Lib Dem activists gather in Bournemouth for the party’s autumn conference, where leader Ed Davey is set to speak. Party strategists see the move as a way to appeal to liberal-minded Conservative voters and broaden the party’s appeal beyond traditional strongholds, potentially snaring seats in counties such as Surrey, Hertfordshire and Devon. The Lib Dems operate in a political landscape with Reform UK topping recent polls, a refreshed Green Party leadership, and the prospect of a new party from former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, which underscores the challenges of carving out a distinctive space in UK politics.