Cell block waste

4:20pm Wednesday 16th May 2001

Criticism of Hertfordshire Constabulary's plans for Borehamwood Police Station have grown after an official letter revealed the station's new custody suite is to become "non-operational".

A lay visitor, who checks on the welfare of prisoners in custody, may resign over the plans, which he believes will result in the closure of the cells. He estimates the police force spent around £100,000 on the suite's revamp a year ago.

Hertsmere Borough Council leader Stuart Nagler has branded police plans to make the suite "non-operational", with prisoners arrested in Hertsmere being taken to cells in St Albans and Hatfield instead, as short-sighted and a waste of tax-payers money.

But increased pressure on the constabulary to address Hertsmere's policing needs comes as it is rumoured that, under a policing restructure due to come into effect on October 1, the headquarters of a new mega-division, or Central Area, taking in St Albans and Welwyn Hatfield, could be based at Borehamwood station. The custody revamp was part of an £180,000 refurbishment of the whole station, by Hertfordshire when it took over the borough's policing last April.

The letter, from Hertfordshire Police Authority to lay visitors, reveals that custody units like Borehamwood's, "will become non-operational and the new area commanders will decide what these areas will be used for".

But the constabulary refuted fears that "non-operational" meant the cells would be closed, and said, although not be in daily use, they will be reserved for special operations.

However, the lay visitor, who does not want to be named, said: "My interpretation of the letter is that the place is going to be non-operational. If you say non-operational, to my mind, the place is going to be shut down.

"I do not believe for a moment that they will lock the doors, throw dust sheets over everything and open it up once a quarter. I believe, once they close it, they will strip it.

"It is ridiculous it is like building a new stretch of road and blocking it off."

He said lay visitors and relatives of arrested people could find it difficult to get to St Albans and Hatfield, and there would not be a significant number of officers back on the streets because only two staff worked in custody on each shift.

Councillor Nagler said: "It is another example of lack of fore-sight, waste of public money and it concerns me greatly."

Hertsmere MP James Clappison said: "Against the background of changes in policing, it is another worrying sign about the policing of Borehamwood."

A Hertfordshire Constabulary spokeswoman said: "We would keep the Borehamwood custody unit just in reserve should a special operation come into effect."

The force defended expenditure on the revamp, which it says was done to comply with Home Office regulations.

The spokeswoman added more officers would be available for front-line duties because they could hand over prisoners to dedicated custody staff. The letter says the force's plan, for cells like those at Borehamwood, is an interim step towards having three or four new custody centres managed-centrally to serve the whole county.

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