The closure of the front counter at Dagenham Police Station is imminent, and this decision by Mayor Sadiq Khan and the Metropolitan Police will leave our borough with no police front counter to report crimes. At a time when crime rates are increasing, cutting essential services like this is detrimental to the safety and well-being of our community.

For the residents of Dagenham, the police station front counter is not just a desk—it's a symbol of security, a place for immediate help, and a cornerstone of justice. With crimes on the rise, having no convenient place to report incidents in person will hinder justice and exacerbate the feelings of vulnerability among our residents.

Crime in Dagenham is up. This alarming trend underscores the necessity of keeping local support services robust and accessible. Removing the front counter access ignores these realities and leaves a gap in community policing efforts.

Not everyone in our borough has access to online services or is comfortable using them, making physical access to police crucial for a significant portion of our population, especially the elderly and those less technologically savvy.

We urge Sadiq Khan and the Metropolitan Police to reconsider the decision and engage with local stakeholders to find a satisfactory outcome that does not compromise our safety.

Sign this petition to show your support for keeping the front counter at Dagenham Police Station open and safeguard our community's security.