'Closing front counters will help fight against crime', says Lambeth's top cop (From This Is Local London)

'Closing front counters will help fight against crime', says Lambeth's top cop

Lambeth’s new top cop claims the planned closure of some police station front counters will help "beef up" the numbers of police officers patrolling the streets.

Detective Superintendent Matt Bell

Chief Superintendent Matt Bell, who this month started in his role as borough commander, insists the planned centralisation of police resources to Brixton will increase the numbers of bobbies on the beat significantly.

Speaking to The Streatham Guardian from his office at Brixton police station, he said half of the officers working on front counters in Streatham, Clapham, Gipsy Hill and Kennington police stations would be moved to local area policing teams.

“In reducing those numbers [at police stations] we have been able to beef up our local policing teams,” he said.

Chief Supt Bell, who previously worked as the head of Barking and Dagenham police force in east London, is keen to focus on the daily business of policing Lambeth’s streets following the force’s recent restructuring.

He said finding strategies to tackle gangs, improving community relations, and building on the work done by local neighbourhood teams, were among his priorities for this year.

He said: “When you have been through such a huge change, it is important for people to see that they have arrived somewhere.

“I am really keen this year to let our staff get on with the business of policing Lambeth.”

Plans to close all but one of the borough’s front counters are not confirmed but look set to go ahead.

Liberal Democrat councillors have criticised the closures as “criminal”, saying they will make it more difficult for residents to report crime.

Police also intend to submit a planning application to build new custody suites in Brixton this autumn, meaning others in the borough will cease to operate.

Commenting on the planned changes, Chief Supt Bell said: “It is a bit like moving house – when you have settled in, you realise why you’ve done it.”