Lib Dems to call for police desks in libraries and shopping centres

Police should set up front desks in libraries, shopping centres, town halls and other hubs in a bid to restore community policing, the Liberal Democrats have said.

The Lib Dems have suggested the initiative would “rebuild proper face-to-face policing that people can see, trust and speak to”.

It would be funding by scrapping police and crime commissioners (PCCs), the elected officials who oversee the budgets and priorities of the various regional forces in England and Wales.

The policing pledge will be the first major policy announcement as the party gathers for its annual conference in Bournemouth on Saturday.

Lisa Smart, the Lib Dems’ home affairs spokeswoman, will outline the plans in a speech on the first day of the conference.

She said: “After years of cuts, too many people say they never see a police officer, leaving victims of crime neglected and allowing criminals to get away scot-free.”

The Lib Dems claimed freedom of information requests they had carried out showed some 25% of police front desks across England and Wales had shut over the last decade.

A total of 365 in 2015 had fallen to 268 this year, the party said.

Ms Smart added: “The Conservatives decimated community policing after years of ineffective resourcing and mismanagement.

“And after a year in power, Labour have offered little more than pointless soundbites.

“That is why the Liberal Democrats are calling for a police desk in every community, to rebuild proper face-to-face policing that people can see, trust and speak to.”

PCCs, introduced by the coalition government in which the Lib Dems were junior partners, have faced criticism for their cost and the low levels of turnout in elections to choose them.

In 2024, there was an average of 23% turnout in the elections for PCCs across England and Wales.

By comparison, turnout at last year’s general election was nearly 60%, and it was approximately 35% in this year’s local council elections.

The basic pay costs of PCCs is over £3 million a year, the Home Office has previously disclosed.