The closure of Glenrothes Police Station is edging closer, the town’s leading officer has told The Courier.
Inspector Derek Paxton said work to move local staff to divisional headquarters on the town’s Detroit Road was progressing but that no date for the closure of the current station had been confirmed.
However, he was keen to reassure residents that any closure date would be announced in advance.
“It’s moving closer but I don’t have a definitive date yet,” he said.
“The process is progressing but when the time comes it will be well publicised. The public will get plenty of notice and we won’t be trying to do it sneakily.
“When the day is set it will be at least a month’s notice before we go anywhere. It will be announced well in advance.”
News of the station’s closure was announced earlier this year. The Detroit Road station was built around 15 years ago and Napier Road is considerably older.
The latter station costs around £200,000 a year to run and last year the roof was replaced at a cost of £100,000.
Police Scotland estimates the closure will save it around £1 million over four years.
The force carried out a survey and discovered only four people walked in for routine reasons over a two-week period.
In a bid to improve policing in the town centre, the number of officers based at the Kingdom Centre is increasing from one to two and members of the public will be able to communicate with them via an intercom system.
Additionally, suspects from east Fife will be held at a new custody suite in Methil, to complement the facilities at Glenrothes and Dunfermline.
Inspector Paxton said that the new service within the Kingdom Centre is close to becoming operational and will be a key link between the police and the public.
“We anticipate that will be up and running while we are still here in the station,” he added.
“It’s not a replacement but an additional resource and want to get it up and running as soon as possible.”