THE privatisation of the prisoner escort system in Lancashire in July has been welcomed by the boss of police in Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale.
Superintendent Mike Griffin told Burnley Police and Community Forum: "It is going to be like getting a box of new bobbies.''
Much police time is taken up daily in transporting prisoners from cells at Colne to court at Burnley, taking the prisoners into and out of court and escorting them to prison.
"The privatised system will have a significant effect on us, freeing police resources presently tied up by that function,'' he said.
There were very often as many as 20 prisoners at a time at Burnley.
Work on major internal alterations at Burnley police station will also start in July.
The scheme will include increasing the number of cells from nine to 17 and improvements to the ventilation system.
The work is expected to take from ten to 15 months.
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