Dumfriesshire MP David Mundell has expressed his outrage at plans which has earmarked police stations in Moffat, Gretna, Thornhill and Langholm for closure.
The latest round of planned cutbacks has been confirmed to the local representative who has been a long standing opponent of the creation of Police Scotland and the winding up of our local force in Dumfries & Galloway.
Mr Mundell believes that further cutbacks are totally unacceptable and will leave rural communities feeling isolated by making it more difficult to be able to contact a local police officer.
Commenting David Mundell MP said: “I believe Police Scotland’s simply don't understand the needs of rural communities. People living locally should have the same level of service as those living in cities and that means access to a local police station.
“Further closures to police stations in Dumfriesshire would be completely misguided and let down local people who expect to have easy access to local police officers in their own community.
“Putting the for sale signs up at yet more stations in the area would only go to show why the support of people in Dumfriesshire for a single Scottish police force is so low as they see an organisation fully focused on directing resources out of this area towards the central belt.
“I have been an opponent of the creation of Police Scotland since the plans were first talked about and these latest closures confirm why it was such a bad deal for Dumfries & Galloway.
“Instead of closing police stations, what should be happening is local policing being brought back across rural areas like Dumfriesshire to restore confidence among my constituents.
“I will be voicing my opinions loud and clear to Police Scotland that this decision is completely wrong.”