POTTERS Bar police station will close to the public tomorrow following cut backs in Government grants to Hertfordshire Constabulary.

The station will remain operational for the time being, but the front counter service, which has been open to residents from 10am to 2pm Monday to Saturday, will shut down.

Police chiefs are continuing to look for alternative premises in the town for the Safer Neighbourhood Teams to work from.

Hertsmere chief inspector, Sue Jameson, said: “We’ve been inundated with offers of places to base our officers and I'm confident that we will find a suitable location. 

“We hope residents in Potters Bar will continue to be happy with the current levels of policing, which will not change with the closure of the station.”

Officers say most of the functions carried out at the front counter can be done over the phone, but if a person does need to visit a police station they will now have to go to Hatfield or Borehamwood.

Superintendent Jeff Taylor said: “The changes to the front counter service were made to ensure that funding for frontline policing is protected when the Constabulary’s 2011/12 Government grant is cut.

“The Constabulary faces a £36 million shortfall over the next four years and had to find ways to save this money while maintaining crime and anti-social behaviour reduction by continuing to bring offenders to justice. 

“Front counter services at the county’s less-used stations cannot continue to be preserved at the expense of community safety and public protection.”