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last mo.

Met Plans to Close Nearly Half of London Front Counters as Critics Warn of Access Loss

Projected to save £7 million annually, the plan aims to redeploy officers from underused counters into neighbourhood patrols.

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The London mayor pledged last year that a police front office counter would be maintained in every borough
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Overview

  • The Met has proposed shutting 18 of its 37 front counters — a move that would leave 12 of London’s 32 boroughs without an in-person crime reporting centre.
  • Closure of these underused counters is expected to free 3,752 officer hours every month and save £7 million a year.
  • Opponents argue the changes break Sadiq Khan’s 2024 manifesto pledge to maintain a 24/7 front desk in each borough and undermine accountability.
  • Labour Assembly Member Unmesh Desai warned that closing the Bethnal Green desk would have devastating effects on vulnerable residents who depend on face-to-face support.
  • West Midlands Chief Constable Craig Guildford described front counter closures as a last resort and urged more creative staffing solutions to preserve community reassurance.