New police chief's opening move

Dave Mallaby, new chief superintendent for the Eastern Division, covering Blackburn, Darwen, Hyndburn and the Ribble Valley, has ordered the month-long review as he attempts to stamp his authority on the job. Opening times for inquiry desks were reduced in September 2001 after figures showed people rarely needed the stations during the night.

But there is a feeling within the police that stations being shut up on busy nights, such as Fridays and Saturdays, may send out the wrong message.

The month-long review will focus on whether the extra reassurance and accessibility created by opening the stations during the early hours is needed.

It may not lead to stations being open 24 hours a day all week, but possibly on the busiest nights.

Mr Mallaby said: "This is a subject close to people's hearts. The review I am doing will focus on the main stations in the division.

"If a decision was made to increase the hours, it would be tested in a pilot scheme initially."

Accrington, Great Harwood, Darwen and Clitheroe's opening hours were reduced 18 months ago so they now close at 8pm.

An emergency phones were put in place outside the stations for people to contact the officers inside.

Taxi drivers, councillors and Ribble Valley MP Nigel Evans condemned the move, although the then Chief Superintendent, John Thompson, said it was not cost-effective to keep them open.

He believed it was better to have a police officer out tackling crime, rather than sitting behind the inquiry desk.

Blackburn's new town-centre police base on the train station is open fewer hours than the Northgate headquarters.

It closes at 8pm, except Thursday to Saturday, when it is open until midnight. The base is a so-called 'safe haven' where people can be admitted by alerting officers via a buzzer.

Any decision to alter the opening times will only affect the Eastern Division. It would be up to chief superintendents from other divisions if they wanted to do the same.