Shutting cop shop bad idea

Community slams decision

Cambuslang Community Council has said the potential closure of Cambuslang Police Station will undermine confidence in the force.

The community group wrote to Chief Inspector Geraldine McSherry last week outlining their opposition to the plan.

Chair David Thomson said members “disagree profoundly with the proposal”.

We reported two weeks ago that Chief Inspector McSherry had written to politicians and community groups asking their views on the potential closure of the station.

In the response letter, Mr Thomson says there was a feeling locally that the decision had already been made despite the police saying they were looking for views.

He adds: “We appreciate that you are under pressure of constrained resources and targets, but rationalising the police estates in the way that you are proposing will do nothing to provide reassurance to the people and businesses of Cambuslang.

“It will undermine local support and confidence in the police at a time when it is sorely needed and runs counter to your stated commitment to community policing.”

Mr Thomson also says the decision to look at closing the station without consideration to the wider community impact was a “serious policy flaw”.

The letter focuses on five objections from the group. Among them is the fact the group’s local surveys suggested crime and anti-social behaviour are major concerns in the town and that the crime rates are above regional averages.

Mr Thomson also states the group believe centralisation will diminish local accountability and that a local office is critical to frontline policing.

Lastly, he focuses on the potential closure in the wider aspect of services leaving the town.

Last year it was reported Police Scotland were considering the futures of 58 stations across Scotland, including both Rutherglen and Cambuslang.

While Cambuslang is set to shut, Rutherglen will remain open.

Chief Inspector McSherry said retaining both Rutherglen and Cambuslang was “no longer sustainable”.

The local branch of the Liberal Democrats have also submitted a response saying Police Scotland should keep Cambuslang open.

Norman Rae, branch secretary, said: “Cambuslang is already being badly hit by the loss of the banks and the job centre.

“Clearly the police need to make full use of their police stations so, in our submission to Police Scotland, we have argued for a complete rethink of the police station closures and full utilisation of the two police offices, perhaps by co-locating advice services, medical facilities or council emergency services there.”

It will undermine local confidence in police