LOCAL politicians have responded to the news that Turriff Police Station is to close its front counter, while redundancies are to be made as a result of cutbacks.
Scottish Conservative North East MSP Douglas Lumsden said: “The closure of Turriff Police Station’s front desk will be disastrous for community policing and will undoubtedly create problems for tackling crimes across the town.
“As waiting times increase because of this, more frustrated callers might hang up and dial 999 which could add even more pressure to the system.
“Public counters like these are part of the fabric of our communities and are an important reminder of the visible police presence in local areas.
“But this announcement will cause alarm to Turriff residents and potentially make people less safe at a time when some Aberdeenshire crimes are not being investigated under a cost-cutting pilot project.
“I hope to raise this closure in parliament as public safety will continue to be put at risk unless SNP ministers make policing a priority rather than an afterthought in their reckless pursuit of cutting budgets.”
Scottish Conservative candidate for Gordon and Buchan, Harriet Cross, said: “This is a deeply disheartening announcement that will cause problems for tackling and reporting crime, particularly in a rural and remote area like Turriff.
“With police numbers already around their lowest level since 2008 and violent crime on the rise, this is another worrying and unwelcome development for safety in the town.
“Overstretched officers and staff are doing their very best, but they are being deprived of the resources they desperately need to serve the public.
“The SNP government must stop underfunding our police, heed the repeated warnings of officers and ensure they have the resources they need to properly protect our communities.”
