Police station in busy Swansea community closes down

Police say the officers who were based at the station have been redeployed to ‘nearby’ locations while the building is now up for sale

Police say the closure of a station in a busy community will not affect the service it provides to the public.

South Wales Police has shut Sketty police station in Swansea as part of a review of its portfolio of properties and has redeployed officers who were based there to other locations.

Until recently the Gower Road station was used as a base for response officers.

It hasn’t had a front desk open to the public for more than a decade. The building is already up for sale.

Police have said they recognise the closure will be of concern to some people in the local community but say the officers who operated from the station are now based in “nearby locations” – Townhill, Mumbles, and Swansea city centre – and the force has “the same ability to respond quickly and effectively to incidents and calls for service”.

The force also says new technology allows its officers to “remain visible, accessible, and engaged within the community” without having to return to a base.

South Wales Police chief superintendent Stephen Jones said: “We recognise that the recent closure of Sketty police station will be of concern to some members of our community and I want to offer clear reassurance that this change will not impact the policing service we provide.

“Sketty police station previously housed our response officers for the area and has closed as part of an ongoing review of the police estate.

“However this in no way alters our operational capability or our commitment to keeping communities safe.

“Our officers continue to work from nearby locations including Townhill, Mumbles, and Swansea city centre, all of which are a short distance from Sketty.

“This ensures that we maintain the same ability to respond quickly and effectively to incidents and calls for service.

“Importantly our teams are equipped with modern mobile technology which allows them to remain visible, accessible, and engaged within the community without the need to return to a station base.

“This enables officers to spend more time on the streets supporting the public rather than being tied to buildings.

“The safety of our communities remains our absolute priority and residents can be confident that there will be no reduction in service or response as a result of this change.”

Last month plans were submitted to Neath Port Talbot Council to convert the former Skewen police station ,which closed in 2020, into eight flats.

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