Southwark residents could lose three police station front counters as part of cost-cutting measures to pump £10million back into frontline policing.
Front counters could be closed at Peckham and Southwark police stations if the draft plans, announced by Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, are pushed through.
In addition, Camberwell (which is used by officers as a base, rather than a working station) and Kennington could be sold off, along with other buildings used by the police in Southwark.
For the month of May, Peckham police station had, on average, 2.1 crimes reported each day, while Southwark had 1.5, and Kennington had 0.8.
The front counter at Walworth police station, which had 3.2 crimes reported on average each day in May, will remain open.
The Mayor today, Friday, launched a full public consultation on the draft plans to reduce the number of police front counters in London to put an additional £10 million – equivalent to the cost of 170 police constables – into frontline policing in the Capital.
He said Government cuts to the Metropolitan Police services had left him with “no choice” but to take drastic action.
Closing front counters across the city is expected to raise £170million capital and deliver £10million savings each year, which could be used to free up officers to spend more time in their communities.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “The huge Government cuts to the Metropolitan Police Service have left us with no choice but to take drastic action to protect the frontline of policing.
“My top priority is keeping Londoners safe, and every pound saved by closing a front counter is a pound of savings that we do not have to find by reducing the frontline.
“By freeing up officers and moving them closer to their communities, they will be able to spend more time on the beat to tackle the issues that matter most to Londoners, such as knife crime, anti-social behaviour, hate crime and extremism, and domestic abuse.
“We will still be able to maintain a 24/7 front counter service in every borough and are improving the telephone and online services that Londoners value so highly.
“The Government urgently needs to properly fund the Met police so that they can do their job and keep Londoners safe.”
The public consultation will last three months. To take part, visit: www.london.gov.uk/public-access