THE leader of Ealing Council says he fears police in the borough will be put in a difficult position by changes to the Met due to happen in September.
In a briefing with councillors last week, police said 35 extra officers were being recruited to serve in the borough, with some arriving in the coming weeks.
But Julian Bell said that is not as reassuring as it sounds, as people will no longer be able to report crimes at Greenford police station, and Ealing and Southall stations will be shut at night.
The minimum number of safer neighbourhood team officers allocated to each ward will be cut from one sergeant, two PCs and three PCSOs, to one of each, with some sergeants responsible for two wards.
Mr Bell said: "I have every confidence in local officers to deliver the best policing they can with the resources hand they’ve been dealt. I’m concerned however that they’re in a difficult position. I’m concerned about the lack of 24-hour cover in Ealing and the reductions in safer neighbourhood teams."
The plans involve Ealing police station moving across Uxbridge Road into the council’s Perceval house, despite Mr Bell offering to help provide a 24-hour service at the site.
According to the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime, which is driving the changes, although senior officers are being cut, more bobbies are to be recruited.
It said in January the number of safer neighbourhood officers will rise by 93, from 68 in 2011 to 161 in 2015. A pool of such officers will be able to be deployed as required.
The total number of borough officers is also expected to rise from 664 in 2011 to 727 in 2015.
But Councillor Ranjit Dheer, cabinet member for safety, said Superintendent Simon Message declined to discuss police numbers in the briefing because the statistics lacked clarity.
The Met insisted the changes will cut crime, make policing more ‘dynamic and flexible’, and that the additional officers would work different shift patterns, so would be available earlier in the day and later at night.
Detective Chief Superintendent Nev Nolan said: "As well as patrolling your ward and working with the community, the bigger neighbourhoods team will be working across a wider area to solve local long-term crime and be dynamic and flexible in preventing and investigating crime.
"We are changing the emphasis of how we deliver local policing to focus on catching more criminals and driving down crime. This will mean fewer victims and officers will also be more visible and accountable to our communities."
