Police urged to reopen Acomb station (From York Press)

Police urged to reopen Acomb station

7:29am Wednesday 20th September 2006

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GIVE us back our police station - that is the message to police in York from a group of residents in Acomb.

They have launched a petition to have the old Acomb Road police station re-opened after a recent spate of crime in the area.

The building, which was once a fully-functioning police station with a front counter, has been used as a training centre and "drop-in" base for officers on foot patrol since 2003.

But residents are collecting signatures to have it re-opened and plan to hand the petition to City of York Council's next full council meeting.

Mick Radford, of Glebe Avenue, who is helping to organise the petition, said: "There is a very strong feeling amongst people here that it should never have been closed, and we were never notified or asked in any way about its closure.

"A lot of people thought it was still open because the building was still there, but you can't go there to report incidents. Everybody is up in arms about it."

He said it would safer for officers to be based at the station, rather than travelling across the city at high speeds to respond to incidents.

One of the reasons cited by residents for an increased fear of crime was the gang rape of a woman in West Bank Park, Holgate, eight weeks ago.

Some local people say they have feared for their safety since the attack.

The petition was launched at a meeting for residents of nearby Glebe Avenue, Malvern Avenue, Manor Drive and Lindsey Avenue on Friday.

About 40 people attended the meeting, along with deputy city council leader Andrew Waller, Inspector Colin Moreton and community support officer Paul Bell.

Insp Moreton said the Acomb police station had not been closed completely. "The Acomb police station is a training establishment, but there is a facility there for patrol officers to use it, so they can work down there during the course of their shift even though they have been clocking on and off at Fulford Road since 2003," he added.

"The residents decided to draw up a petition because it takes a long time to get across town and there have been occasions when people have come to hand in property and that kind of thing.

"But the staff who work there have taken it from them rather than them trekking right across town to Fulford Road. It's not an ideal situation, but we get round it."

Coun Waller added: "Residents explained their problems relating to a recent increase in vandalism, car damage, and thefts.

"Several residents came forward to set up neighbourhood watches in the area, and the police agreed that there would be an increase in uniformed presence in the area over the short term."

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