Residents ‘knocked door’ for almost half an hour at new Ayr Police Station
A disgruntled Ayr resident has hit out at Police in Ayrshire after being left outside the building for nearly 30 minutes while trying to report something.
Last updated 7th Aug 2023
Ayr’s new police station has been slammed after two residents were left knocking on the station door for around 30 mins to make a complaint.
Helen Russell, who is secretary of the Newton Tenants Association, hit out after seeing Chief Superintendent Faroque Hussain welcome the new police premises following the move from King Street.
Police say that, while the public counter at the station will be open seven days a week from 7am until 11pm, people will be able to report incidents using the intercom if officers are unavailable.
Helen wrote to the Chief Supt about the situation, saying: “I know the complaint may seem like nothing to your police officers.
“Myself and a gentleman stood knocking on the door of your new police station for at least 20mins yesterday trying to get in or some assistance.
“In that time a police officer came into the car park and when we waved him down to stop he drove on round the back and in the other door at the other side of building and locked that door without attending to us.
“Eventually we saw an officer inside the building and about five minutes after he saw us at the door he opened it up and told us he was ‘in a hurry but what did we want’.
She said that the other man was at the station for a separate matter, but that she had left and didn’t know if he had been dealt with properly.
“But my complaint was not attended to and I am still waiting for an officer to come round the corner to York Street Lane, which is two minutes away from your station.
“What’s more frustrating about this was the six police cars which where parked out side in the car park .
“So I don’t think your new police station is a ‘winner’. This is shocking, at least at King Street you got inside the station and someone took your details and complaint. “
Police Scotland insisted that Newton House was an improvement on the old King Street office and insisted that the public counter would be open from 7am until 11pm every day.
They added that, on occasions where the counter was shut, there is an intercom available.
Superintendent Derek Frew said: “Newton House is already a well-established community landmark in Ayr and it offers local policing in fit for purpose accommodation which our old premises could not. It will also allow us to maintain a visible, accessible and responsive service.
“I would like to reassure the local community that there has been no change in the quality of policing and no change in the quality of service they have come to expect from their local officers.
“Newton House also has an accessible public counter, open seven days a week between 7am and 11pm.
“For out of hours there is an intercom available at the public counter entrance. This is also accessible when the public counter is closed.
“There are a number of other ways to contact Police Scotland, including the non-emergency number 101, calling 999 in an emergency or online via our website.
“We will proactively contact the Newton Resident’s Association to address any concerns.”