Croydon's London Assembly Member, Steve O'Connell has welcomed plans for new Police cells and a custody facility to be built in central Croydon to help improve policing in the borough.

The proposal include plans to create a new modern facility, complete with 40 custody cells, on Windmill Road, in central Croydon, replacing the borough’s 26 older cells.

The custody centre would significantly increase the police’s ability to temporarily hold people who have been arrested and free-up officers to allow them to spend more time on the streets tackling crime and keeping residents safe.

Mr O’Connell AM, who is also a member of the Metropolitan Police Authority, said:

“I think plans to create a specialist up-to-date custody centre to improve policing and help cut crime in Croydon is excellent. We need to make sure the police can work efficiently and can spend as much time as possible on the streets keeping people safe.

“It is vital that the police have enough available cells to securely hold people who’ve been arrested so to free-up officers to get back out on the beat.”

The proposed new custody centre would also house Selhurst’s Safer Neighbourhood Team.

Mr O’Connell AM added, “The site will need to be considered as part of the planning process, but I’m pleased that the proposals include a base for Selhurst’s Safer Neighbourhood team.”