Plans for reduced hours at Cumbernauld and Kilsyth police stations

Proposals to reduce public counter opening times at police stations in Cumbernauld and Kilsyth have been met with mixed reaction this week.
Chief Inspector David Bruce.Chief Inspector David Bruce.
Chief Inspector David Bruce.

Police Scotland announced the plans following a nationwide review and they stress that the organisation’s aim is to provide a consistent and more efficient service in local communities,

They say there has been a significant reduction in the use of public counter services in Scotland in recent years, as alternative means of contacting police have developed and crime rates have fallen.

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The plans would mean Cumbernauld police office would have a front counter service seven days a week, from 8am to 6pm, and Kilsyth police office will reduced its service to Monday to Friday, from 9am to 5pm.

The News and Chronicle spoke to Chief Inspector David Bruce, who is area commander for Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Strathkelvin.

He stressed that there will be no compulsory redundancies forced upon the civilian staff effected by the proposed move.

He said: “Police Scotland is committed to delivering the best possible service to the public.

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“A vital part of this commitment is ensuring that national reform allows us to make the most efficient use of the resources we have, particularly in the challenging financial climate within which we now have to operate.

“I wish to stress that the proposals currently being discussed do not under any circumstances mean the closure of our local police offices, the ending of some police services or the reduction of operational offices.

“Cumbernauld will remain a fully operational command area headquarters and a base for 24 hour response and community policing.

“To the contrary, the proposals will allow me to put more officers into front line duties and in reality it will mean we can have more police officers within our communities doing the job we all need them to do, in the right places at the right time, trying as hard as possible to keep people safe.”

For more on this story, including reaction from staff, see this week’s Cumbernauld News and Kilsyth Chronicle dated Wednesday, October 9.