Chipping Barnet MP, Theresa Villiers, has condemned the announcement by the Mayor of London that he will close down and sell Barnet Police Station.
The front desk at the station closed to the public following a decision by the Mayor in 2017, but the building has remained in police use, for example by neighbourhood police teams.
The closure of the front desk was widely opposed in the local community with hundreds of people signing Theresa Villiers’ petition to save the station.
“It is appalling that the Mayor has not listened to local people in Barnet,” Theresa Villiers said. “We need our police station. Loss of the front counter was bad enough. If the Mayor goes ahead and sells the building, then there will be no base in this part of Barnet from which our local police can operate. They will all have to come from miles away in Colindale. That will seriously reduce police presence and visibility.”
“I will continue the fight to save Barnet Police Station. It is not acceptable for people to have to make a complicated journey to Colindale if they want to report a crime in person. Even worse is the prospect of losing the last remaining building in my constituency from which police officers can operate.”
Ms Villiers was informed of the Mayor's decision in a letter from Deputy Mayor, Sophie Linden, and the Barnet MP is encouraging people to sign her petition to save Barnet Police Station at: https://www.theresavilliers.co.uk/save-barnet-police-station.