POLITICIANS will join local people outside Woodford Police Station to demand plans to move local safer neighbourhood teams (SNTs) to Barkingside are scrapped.
Woodford Green MP Iain Duncan Smith, and local councillors will gather at 2.15pm this Friday (August 12), to back calls for a community police presence to be retained in the the station.
The calls come after it was revealed SNTs would be moved out of Woodford Green, and asked to travel to the area by bicycle from Barkingside.
That has infuriated many in the community and led to speculation that Woodford Police Station is about to be sold off.
Frank Cruder, 66, Chairman of Chelmsford and Derby Road Neighbourhood Watch in South Woodford, has played a big part in organising Friday’s day of awareness.
He said: “Without a police station in the community, life would be unbearable for local people affected by crime.”
Monkhams ward councillor, Jim O’Shea, will also be outside the police station.
He and his fellow Conservative councillors have organised an online petition to prevent any future closure.
He said the violent disorder which has engulfed London this week, now makes it vital that a local police presence is safeguarded.
And he added: “It was never a good idea in the first place.
“Going through with it now looks like utter folly.
“I hope the government will stop any policing cuts.”
Roding Ward Liberal Democrat Councillor Ian Bond will also attend the event.
He said: “Our biggest worry is losing the SNTs to Barkingside, and I think this will be a useful way to raise awareness of opposition to that plan.
“Of course all of us want to save the police station, but at the moment we need to concentrate on raising awareness of the SNT issue.”
Borough Commander, Detective Superintendent Sue Williams, has denied there are any concrete plans to close Woodford Police Station.
In an email to Monkhams Councillor Linda Huggett, she said: “I have not been notified by the Metropolitan Police Authority about their plans for disposal of this or any other building in the Borough.
“But with the current financial restrictions, some of our older police stations that are not fit for modern day policing are being considered for disposal.”
To view the petition to save Woodford Police Station visit: http://tinyurl.com/SaveWoodfordPoliceStation
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