ARRESTED suspects will not be taken to Kilncraigs if plans to move Alloa's police station to the council offices come to fruition, the Wee County's commanding officer has pledged.

Chief Inspector Drew Sinclair says the move to Clackmannanshire Council’s headquarters will enhance partnership and multi-agency work – officers of both organisations often work together in certain areas like anti-social behaviour and licensing.

He says people would also be able to access more services in one place.

The chief is hoping to see more people air their views on the proposals by the end of the month.

Two important issues are arising from ongoing consultation so far: what the reception would look like and whether suspects would be held at the new offices.

CI Sinclair said: “We will have a reception area, however, whether that’s going to be a standalone police reception within the main reception or whether we’ll share the reception area – that’s something we are still working on.

“That’s a real part we are looking for the public to feed back on.”

A working group will focus purely on that issue when the business case is being prepared further down the line.

There has not been a custody facility in Clackmannanshire for years now, officers instead take suspects to Falkirk when required – and that would remain the same.

The chief added: “There’s not a custody suite any more so there aren’t going to be prisoners hanging about.

“The people we have at the police station just now are generally people who are reporting a crime or are providing a witness statement or are handing in dogs.

“We don’t have an element of violence or anti-social behaviour around the police station so we will not be bringing that to Kilncraigs.

“I think it would actually be the opposite – the presence of the police in Kilncraigs would deter any issues within the reception for all the services – and in the immediate vicinity as well.”

While the move could generate money for the police through the sale of the current building across the town hall, the top officer insists that is secondary to the drive to improve working partnerships across the organisations.

He said: “At the moment, we have multi-agency meetings which are centred around anti-social behaviour and disorder and we work very closely with the housing (department) regarding that. Especially things like neighbour disputes, noisy parties, noise teams, anti-social behaviour orders – in all those aspects of anti-social behaviour, we work closely.”

He added that moving to Kilncraigs would not reduce the resources available and would put police closer to the priority areas of Alloa South and East.

Visit clackmannanshire.citizenspace.com/communications-department/sharingspaceccps to air your views by Tuesday, July 31 or email clacksproject@clacks.gov.uk for more details.