Two Norfolk market town police stations are losing custody facilities.The cells at Dereham are only currently used at peak times but the suite is closing altogether at the end of January when extra cells are provided at Bethel Street station in Norwich.
Two Norfolk market town police stations are losing custody facilities.
The cells at Dereham are only currently used at peak times but the suite is closing altogether at the end of January when extra cells are provided at Bethel Street station in Norwich.
A report to this Thursday's Norfolk Police Authority custody visitors committee says that the Dereham cells will be “mothballed” and only used as a contingency, such as if extra prisoners have to be housed if jails are full.
Concerns have previously been raised locally about police officers having to transport prisoners to other stations such as Norwich, Thetford and King's Lynn - especially on busy weekend nights - which will take them off patrols in the Dereham area.
The Dereham cells will be in full use during January when the Bethel Street suite is shut.
Meanwhile, the custody facility at Fakenham Police Station will be removed as part of work to accommodate extra staff when it is becomes one of Norfolk Police's new response bases from next April.
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