By The Guardian (World News) | Created at 2024-10-03 14:05:17 | Updated at 2024-10-05 20:01:47
2 days ago
People answering bail at Corby police station in Northamptonshire are being asked to take selfies to prove their attendance, as the counter is now only open two days per week.
A sign in the reception area of the police station at the Corby Cube read: “Bail signers please either ring 101 and get an incident number or take a photo on your phone proving yourself as being at the front desk.”
Corby and East Northamptonshire MP, Labour’s Lee Barron, is meeting with police on Friday to discuss the issue, he said, adding it was damaging the public perception of the police.
The front counter at the police station in the Northamptonshire town, which has more than 68,000 residents, is now only open on Tuesdays and Thursdays, due to staffing shortages.
Previously the police station was open to the public from Monday to Friday.
Barron said it was “pretty shocking” that a town like Corby had reached such a level with policing that people answering bail were “having to prove their bail conditions by taking selfies”, due to the station only being open two days of the week.
“If it wasn’t so serious, it would be funny,” Barron said. “What we can’t do is have a situation where the public perception of the police is they’re not there.”
His constituents have also had issues reporting crimes in person, and obtaining crime numbers for insurance purposes, he added.
“This is no criticism of police officers,” he added. “These officers deserve better resources to enable them to do their jobs.”
Conditions to report to a police station at designated times are often imposed on those who have been released on police bail while under investigation, or have been bailed by a court ahead of a future appearance.
Bail is sometimes used as an alternative to remanding people into custody.
“Telling people on bail to take selfies, to send them through so that they can prove that they’re meeting the requirement of why they’re on release,” Barron said.
“Well, I could take three selfies at the same time, all in different positions, and send them on three different days to say I was somewhere I wasn’t. This is ridiculous.”
A Northamptonshire police spokesperson said: “We are currently dealing with a shortage of front desk staff at the Corby Cube which has led to reduced hours of opening.
“This is a temporary arrangement however and new staff are currently going through the vetting process with a view to normal service resuming soon.
“It is also worth noting that the Corby neighbourhood policing team are based at the Corby Cube so there is a police presence at the location should they be required.”
