Tower Hamlets (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Tower Hamlets will be left with no police front desks under new service cut proposals, as part of broader plans to scale back policing across London.
According to a list released by Scotland Yard on Wednesday, August 6, the front desk at Bethnal Green Police Station, located in Victoria Park Square, Tower Hamlets, is scheduled to close at the end of this year.
According to the list, in an effort to save the Metropolitan Police Service £260 million, 18 of the 37 front desks that are now in operation are scheduled to close.
This violates a previous Met commitment to have a front counter open twenty-four hours a day in every London borough, leaving a number of boroughs, including Tower Hamlets, without one.
Desks in Barking, Dagenham, and Chingford are among the other east London locations that have been suggested for closure.
Under the current plans, Havering’s sole front desk in Romford and the desk at the Forest Gate Police Station in Newham will both continue to operate.
The Met has emphasized that this is not the final list of closures because “design work and engagement” are still ongoing for these suggestions. The final list is anticipated to be released later this year.
Under the plans, certain counters will also have fewer hours of operation.
A spokesperson for the Met Police said:
“Just 5 per cent of crimes were reported using front counters last year, with only 1 per cent of these being made during the night.
At the busiest front counter in London on average 15 crimes are reported a day – less than one an hour – and in the least busy, only 2.5 crimes are reported a day.
Londoners tell us they want to see more officers on our streets. The decision to reduce and close some front counters will save £7 million and 3,752 hours of police officer time per month allowing us to focus resources relentlessly on tackling crime and putting more officers into neighbourhoods across London.”
How will the closure of police counters affect local residents’ safety?
Evidence suggests that closing police stations increases certain types of crime, particularly car theft and residential burglary. The reduction in visible police infrastructure lowers the perceived risk of detection for criminals, making opportunistic crimes more attractive.
Studies indicate that while not all types of crime increase, the deterrent effect of a local, accessible police presence is diminished after closures. In some cases, communities experience a drop in subjective feelings of safety and increased fear of crime, even if actual crime rates do not always rise in every category.
The visible presence of police stations and front counters also provides reassurance to residents, contributing to public perceptions of safety, community trust, and informal social control in neighborhoods.