Visible police base to strengthen links between officers and local services
A new Community Police Station has been unveiled in Birkenhead town centre, giving neighbourhood officers a prominent operational base inside The Lauries Centre on Claughton Road.
The move, agreed by Merseyside Police Commissioner Emily Spurrell, replaces the former station that operated from the Conway Building. The new facility sits alongside a cluster of public and voluntary services and is intended to make it easier for officers to work with local partners and the public.
- Location: The Lauries Centre, Claughton Road
- Purpose: Operational base for neighbourhood officers and staff; increased visibility
- Accessibility: Modern facility close to Merseyside Fire and Rescue and North West Ambulance Service amenities
Although the building will provide a familiar, accessible point in the heart of town, it will not operate as a fully staffed front desk. Officers will not be permanently based at the centre and it will not be routinely open to the public. Instead, the station is designed to support flexible neighbourhood policing, offering a central place from which officers can begin and end patrols, carry out planned engagement and meet community partners.
"Community policing is most effective when officers are visible, accessible and embedded within the communities they serve."
The Lauries Centre is already a focal point for community life in Birkenhead, hosting a range of charities, community organisations and local services. Tenants include groups supporting people experiencing homelessness, vulnerable young people, veterans and local families. Bringing neighbourhood policing into the same building aims to strengthen collaborative problem-solving and make it easier for residents and organisations to connect with the policing team.
What this means for Birkenhead
For residents, the new base should deliver a more visible policing presence in the town centre and improve opportunities for partnership work between police and other support agencies. For officers, the station offers a modern, accessible space close to key emergency services, enabling swifter coordination on incidents and planned community activity.
| Feature | Benefit |
|---|---|
| Prominent town-centre location | Better visibility and easier access for residents and businesses |
| Co-location with charities and services | Improved partnership working and joint problem-solving |
| Flexible staffing model | Supports patrol-based policing rather than a permanent front desk |
Local businesses and shoppers can expect to see officers using the Lauries Centre as a base for neighbourhood activity, but the centre will not function as a traditional, always-open police station. That approach reflects a shift towards more mobile and partnership-focused neighbourhood policing while still keeping a visible anchor in the town centre.
For many in Birkenhead the change will be welcome: it places officers amid the organisations that support the town’s most vulnerable people and makes it easier for policing and community services to co-ordinate responses to local issues. The new base at The Lauries Centre is a tangible sign of that intent, seeking to bring police presence nearer to the everyday life of the town without creating a permanently staffed front office.
As the facility settles into use, residents will want to see how the arrangement translates into regular engagement, quicker problem resolution and ongoing collaboration between Merseyside Police, emergency services and the charitable groups that make The Lauries Centre a community hub.
