Police Scotland has announced plans to close five police offices in Aberdeen with dozens of others to shut across the country.
The force said that it was looking to permanently shut more than 40 buildings. The move comes as Police Scotland aims to save money amid concerns over budgets.
Details were revealed about “29 police stations and other buildings” that are “surplus to requirements” with three of them already vacant and 14 not accessible to the public.
The police offices in Mastrick, Rosemount, Seaton, Whinhill and Torry will all close with staff at the latter moving to Nigg. No officers are stationed or deployed at Rosemount with the future location of staff at the remaining offices to be confirmed.
Public consultations will be held on closing another 16 properties “which are all already vacant or are plots of land with no buildings”, including the vacant buildings in Peterhead and Portlethen.
Staff and officers in Peterhead are based out of Buchan House which is shared with Aberdeenshire Council with the re-marketing or auction of the building “to be progressed”. Stonehaven is now the base for the Portlethen team with the building vacated this year.
Deputy Chief Constable, Malcolm Graham said: “Our estate needs to be fit for 21 century policing, putting service enhancement, visibility, and engagement at the heart of the communities we serve. These are core components of the legitimacy and consent on which policing in Scotland relies.
“Our presence in communities is not defined by buildings but by the officers and staff who work there, and we have already introduced technology that enables our officers to remain in local areas, reducing the need for them to return to police stations to deal with paperwork.
“We are determined to continue to improve our visibility and accessibility, as well as to bring partners together to deliver services in the most efficient and effective way.
“The buildings in which our officers and staff work need to be safe, functional spaces, and they need to be sustainable and adaptable enough to meet changing public expectations and the changing nature of policing.”
Concerns have been raised about the move by North East region MSP Liam Kerr who said the loss of police stations in Aberdeen is a “hammer blow”.
He said: “Stations like these are part of the fabric of our communities and are an important reminder of the visible police presence in local areas.
“With fewer officers and stations, these plans will heighten concerns about the gradual diminishment of local policing at a time when Police Scotland’s resources are already stretched to breaking point.”
Source: Aberdeen Live
