Decision to close police cells in Hemel will result in fewer police on the streets as officers waste time escorting prisoners to and from Hatfield.

Local MP, Mike Penning, is calling on the Chief Constable of Hertfordshire, Frank Whiteley to rethink his decision to close the police cells in Hemel Hempstead.

Mike Penning said:
“The decision to close the police cells in Hemel is absolute madness. It is an ill-thought out decision taken without any local consultation. I am furious that we will be left with fewer police on the streets of Hemel as officers are needed to escort prisoners to and from a big shiny new cell block at Hatfield.

“Local police will now be forced into the difficult position of having to consider the time wasted travelling to and from Hatfield whenever they make an arrest. I have no doubt there will be fewer arrests and the number of cautions and on-the-spot fines will go up. It is simply not right that our police officers have to balance the severity of a case against the time wasted going to and from Hatfield.”

He added:
“More and more violent criminals are being let off with nothing more than a caution or fixed penalty. Last year 38,952 offenders received cautions for aggravated bodily harm. In 2008, 5,714 offenders received three cautions in the same year – that is up 45 per cent the same figure in 2000. With that level of re-offending, criminals clearly see cautions as a joke.

“Closing the police cells in Hemel will reduce the number of officers on the ground, increase the number of offenders let off with a caution and sends the wrong message to criminals. Chief Constable Whiteley must reverse this decision.”

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