I won't close police stations, says Yorkshire crime commissioner

In his first police and crime plan, Keith Hunter says Humberside Police “must not be pushed away from public interaction and from delivering policing in the style the public want”.

The former chief superintendent, who spent 30 years with the force took over as police and crime commissioner last year after ousting Conservative PCC Mathew Grove.

He is currently in the process of recruiting a new Chief Constable, with the force’s most senior officer Justine Curran leaving last month ahead of a critical watchdog report.

Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary graded the overall effectiveness of the force as “requires improvement” and was particularly critical of its work protecting victims.

Mr Hunter said he wanted to see “boots on the ground” in his police force area covering the East Riding, Hull, and North Lincolnshire, adding that “everything policing does grows out of frontline Neighbourhood Policing”.

He said: “Don’t let anyone tell you boots on the ground don’t matter. In communities where Anti-Social Behaviour is an issue I want to see those boots on the ground.”

He added: “Police stations are iconic to many communities and where there is an area currently served by a station staffed by officers I do not want a retreat from that position; that is a line in the sand for me.”

His pledge contrasts with the position taken by his neighbouring forces, where local police stations are being closed and sold and officers encouraged to make themselves available at other locations.

In North Yorkshire, stations in Selby and Ripon have been sold and there are wider plans for police officers around England’s largest county to share a base either with North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service or Yorkshire Ambulance Service.

Mr Hunter today declined to answer any questions on the Police and Crime Plan, which was posted on his website last week, because it is not officially launched until next week.

The document said: “Delivering community safety is a hugely complex endeavour involving not just the police but many different statutory and voluntary agencies, as well as the public themselves, so the approach adopted cannot be simplistic.

“The leaders entrusted with delivering community safety together should be clear though, about what we want to achieve and how we will work towards it.

“The overall approach of this plan is to encourage the changes that are the key to delivering better results. Merely trying harder with potentially fewer resources will inevitably lead to failure.

“So, this Police and Crime Plan does not identify simplistic or populist solutions, it does not illustrate the complexity of delivery or attempt to list all activities the police will carry out; it is focussed on promoting long-term improvement in service to the public.”