Pledge over policing plans for village

Nov 17 2011 by Marjorie Kerr, West Lothian Courier

POLICE chiefs have issued a reassurance that residents in a West Lothian village will continue to receive a good service when their police station closes.

At a meeting on Monday, the police board agreed that Mid Calder Police Station should close.

But Chief Superintendent Jeanette McDiarmid stressed this week that officers will still have a high presence in the area.

And she reiterated that work is progressing with West Lothian Council to find a new base where officers can meet the public face-to-face.

She said: “This is about enhancing service in the community.

“The police station is no longer fit for purpose and we have to react to changes in the way people contact the police.

“We now have a diary car which means people can arrange for officers to visit them at a time which suits them best and we are in dialogue with the council about the provision of a space in Mid Calder where officers can meet with the public.

“I have met with the community councils for the area and have reassured them that there will be no loss of service to them.

“I will also be issuing a questionnaire to residents to find out what services they are looking for from the police. This is about improving the service – not diminishing it.”

Members of Mid Calder Community Council met with Chief Superintendent McDiarmid last Thursday and said they were pleased to hear her reassurances.

A spokeswoman for the Community Council said: “What the chief superintendent said to us made sense. She explained that the police station doesn’t have a private meeting area or suitable toilet facilities and therefore the building is no longer suitable.

“We have been reassured that there will be no loss of our police presence and I believe that she is a woman of her word.”

Leader of West Lothian Council, Peter Johnston, said the council are happy to continue to work with police to find a new base in Mid Calder.

He said: “West Lothian Council will continue to work in partnership with Lothian and Borders Police to provide an appropriate police base in the heart of Mid Calder, where police officers will still have regular contact with local residents.

“It makes perfect sense when the opportunity arises to share resources, including buildings.

“We have a perfect example of this at the civic centre and a similar model is already working successfully at Fauldhouse Partnership Centre.

“We are pleased that reassurances have been given that frontline policing will be protected in Mid Calder, and I absolutely agree that an ongoing police presence on our local streets must be the first priority.”