REDUCTIONS in police station opening hours are just one more example of the way the squeeze on public spending is hitting services we take for granted.

But because visiting a police station is something we only do, in the main, in exceptional circumstances, it is not a service cut that the majority of people will notice.

Almost without exception, the region’s police forces have implemented these cuts with the minimum of fuss, from “customers”

and police staff.

And most people would say that maintaining the number of “bobbies on the beat” is preferable to retaining staff simply to keep buildings open.

There will be fears though that the arrangements put in place for contacting police when the local station is closed do not represent an adequate replacement.

Shouting into an intercom on a cold blustery day is not most people’s idea of effective police-public communications.

Most forces have non-emergency contact numbers but they are not well publicised.

The danger of the reduction in police station hours is that more calls are made to the 999 service.

Forces need to make sure that people know how to contact them in a non-emergency situation.

If they don’t, they risk becoming more remote from the communities they aim to serve.