I'm sure most of you have probably read this story by now. Rumours have been circulating for a while. If not, you will find it at:
http://www.edinburghnews.com/index.cfm?id=530502003
We hope to cover the issue and get some local reaction up on the website this weekend. Until then I am sure this will be a hot topic on the board. Look fwd to your comments and remember to vote on the poll above.
Porty Police Station to close at night?
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Susan
Portobello Police Station to close at night?
I don't think the Police Station should be closed at night.
Given all the negative comments displayed elsewhere in this discussion forum it would appear that an increased Police presence in Portobello is needed - not closure of the station.
The article in tonight's Evening News reads "the move to close stations at night is primarily to deal with changes in shift patterns for control room and front desk staff who claim they feel vulnerable, according to Police sources."
The public feel vulnerable too and they don't have the comfort of inhouse police officers.
There have always been issues about youths gathering in Portobello.
Saltmans window was a favourite place in the late 70's.
The sheds on the Prom were popular in the 80's.
The seating outside the Bank of Scotland, Town Hall and Police Station have always been popular youth spots too. The groups that gathered there were known to and by the Police in the area and were moved if they became troublesome to the rest of the public.
Unfortunately, the new tolerance of youth bad behavior has turned these groups into disrespectful louts who intimidate other people, and they know they are getting away with it because they don't see the same officer twice. Softly, softly isn't working in Portobello. Look around on a Saturday evening.
Maybe Police modernisation sounds good but when an officer from Portobello is sent to Penicuik to attend, then the counterpart from Penicuik is next officer free and he has to come to deal with a call in Portobello maybe the scheme is wrong.
Everyone bangs on about tackling crime - especially in the recent elections. Perhaps it is time to look back and see why these problems weren't so bad in the past.
There was a time when I knew all the beat officers on the High Street and Promenade, I saw them every day. I knew them by name. They were part of the community in which I live and work.
Today, I know none.
Susan
Given all the negative comments displayed elsewhere in this discussion forum it would appear that an increased Police presence in Portobello is needed - not closure of the station.
The article in tonight's Evening News reads "the move to close stations at night is primarily to deal with changes in shift patterns for control room and front desk staff who claim they feel vulnerable, according to Police sources."
The public feel vulnerable too and they don't have the comfort of inhouse police officers.
There have always been issues about youths gathering in Portobello.
Saltmans window was a favourite place in the late 70's.
The sheds on the Prom were popular in the 80's.
The seating outside the Bank of Scotland, Town Hall and Police Station have always been popular youth spots too. The groups that gathered there were known to and by the Police in the area and were moved if they became troublesome to the rest of the public.
Unfortunately, the new tolerance of youth bad behavior has turned these groups into disrespectful louts who intimidate other people, and they know they are getting away with it because they don't see the same officer twice. Softly, softly isn't working in Portobello. Look around on a Saturday evening.
Maybe Police modernisation sounds good but when an officer from Portobello is sent to Penicuik to attend, then the counterpart from Penicuik is next officer free and he has to come to deal with a call in Portobello maybe the scheme is wrong.
Everyone bangs on about tackling crime - especially in the recent elections. Perhaps it is time to look back and see why these problems weren't so bad in the past.
There was a time when I knew all the beat officers on the High Street and Promenade, I saw them every day. I knew them by name. They were part of the community in which I live and work.
Today, I know none.
Susan
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Susan
Portobello Police Station to close at night?
Bob,
Can you tell us how to vote on the poll?
Bet it is really easy but I can't figure it out!
Thanks.
Susan.
Can you tell us how to vote on the poll?
Bet it is really easy but I can't figure it out!
Thanks.
Susan.
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Guest
Susan
Firstly, thanks for your contribution to the forum so far. Your post on the 'Grannies Attic' site has generated a huge amount of interest.
The reason you are unable to vote is that as a guest you presently have restricted rights on the board. Some features, such as polls, are only available to registered users. To access these additional features all you have to do is register. Registering is easy and should only take a minute or two. Just click on the appropriate icon above and fill in a few details.
Re. the Evening News article, I thought the most amusing comment came from the Police spokesperson:
"They complain that they can’t get on with their work at night because they have to man the front counters."
And err, what work would this be that is more important than dealing with a member of the public trying to report a crime? It's a bit like a supermarket manager saying the job would be a lot easier if customers would only stop coming in and taking things off the shelves! Dealing face to face with the public (however difficult that may be at times) is a core funtion of the Police and I hope and expect that local people and politicians will strongly resist any attempt to introduce this half-baked plan.
I would also like to make it quite clear that, as an employee of L&B Police, any comments I make on this board are as a private citizen.
Firstly, thanks for your contribution to the forum so far. Your post on the 'Grannies Attic' site has generated a huge amount of interest.
The reason you are unable to vote is that as a guest you presently have restricted rights on the board. Some features, such as polls, are only available to registered users. To access these additional features all you have to do is register. Registering is easy and should only take a minute or two. Just click on the appropriate icon above and fill in a few details.
Re. the Evening News article, I thought the most amusing comment came from the Police spokesperson:
"They complain that they can’t get on with their work at night because they have to man the front counters."
And err, what work would this be that is more important than dealing with a member of the public trying to report a crime? It's a bit like a supermarket manager saying the job would be a lot easier if customers would only stop coming in and taking things off the shelves! Dealing face to face with the public (however difficult that may be at times) is a core funtion of the Police and I hope and expect that local people and politicians will strongly resist any attempt to introduce this half-baked plan.
I would also like to make it quite clear that, as an employee of L&B Police, any comments I make on this board are as a private citizen.
Portobello Police Station to close at night?
Hi Bob,
Did the register bit - still can't find the voting bit!
Susan
Did the register bit - still can't find the voting bit!
Susan
Portobello Police Station
Hi Everyone,
I'm really surprised that no one sees this issue as important enough to add comment about.
If the Police Station is not regarded as a requirement during the night and the community does not speak out against the closure plans, how long will it be before the decision is taken to just close it up completely?
Please have an opinion on this subject!
Susan
I'm really surprised that no one sees this issue as important enough to add comment about.
If the Police Station is not regarded as a requirement during the night and the community does not speak out against the closure plans, how long will it be before the decision is taken to just close it up completely?
Please have an opinion on this subject!
Susan
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Guest
Surprises me too! The Police station is an essential part of the community and people should be rightly concerned about this. We have already lost our High Street post office and we must be ever-vigilant of threatened closures, 'rationalisations' and anything else that might weaken our community generally. It's difficult to see the logic. On one hand we have an acknowledged problem with youth disorder, to the extent that we now have a Problem Solving Partnership in place, and on the other hand we are talking of closing the station to the public during the very period when most of these offences take place!
I had an email from Maureen Child recently on this subject, from which I quote:
I had an email from Maureen Child recently on this subject, from which I quote:
The situation as you know is currently being evaluated. In effect this means that the numbers of people visiting the station between 10pm and 7am will be recorded. A decision regarding overnight closure will then presumably be made on the basis of this period of evaluation, as part of an ongoing Best Value assessment. This is not a situation that I can personally be seen to be too involved in, much as I would like to. Nevertheless, 'Portobello Online' will continue to present the arguments for and against (as fairly as our natural bias allows) and people can make up their own minds.To my mind, what matters is what works best in deploying human, financial, community and other public resources as well as buildings. Perception of the police and confidence in them is important, but this should not be at the expense of real operational efficiency and joint working. I am not yet convinced that shutting the Portobello police station to public access will achieve better operational efficiency, but I am open to hearing the case made before leaping into opposition mode.
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Guest
Quick update on this. You will be interested to hear that the community sergeant, addressing the most recent meeting of Portobello Community Council, has stated that the closure of Portobello Police Station overnight (if and when this occurs) "would not make one iota of difference" to the service provided. I'm sure he won't mind me quoting him on this since it was a minuted meeting and he did repeat it more than once. I have no comment to make on this but I expect some of you will.
Saying that it won't make one iota of a difference is probably right. We recently had to call the Portobello station regarding an emergency and after 15 minutes no-one had turned up. When we called back we were told that the station at Leith were now dealing with it. It was over 20 minutes before any police arrived…when it could have quite easily have been sorted out by the police just round the corner.