Police and Crime Commissioner David Lloyd has rejected claims police officers are wasting hours driving suspects across the county.

The closure of police cells in Watford means hundreds of people arrested in south west Hertfordshire have to be driven to Hatfield.

Officers say it can take four hours to get there and complete the paperwork, cutting time they spend on the street.

But Hertfordshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner has rejected this – saying suspects are booked into custody suites “much quicker” at large police stations like Hatfield and Stevenage.

He said: “We do need to make sure people are booked in to custody quickly but not affect them getting in safely.

“There may be a 25 minute journey each way whereas it was ten minutes before, but I do not think it will make a huge difference to the amount of time police officers are away.

“It is about changing the way people work. Police officers are naturally very cautious people and they do not like to change.”

Watford’s custody suite was initially closed while officers were trained on a new computer system. It was due to reopen this month. But last Wednesday, it was closed it for good.

This move prompted fears the police station may be earmarked for closure in the future.

Watford’s Elected Mayor Dorothy Thornhill said: “My concern is that in three to five years, we will not have a police station.

“We need a significant police presence in a town so close to London. They do a fantastic job keeping London’s problems away from our town. But if they were based somewhere else? Would they be able to do that?”

Commissioner Lloyd said that if he was police and crime commissioner, he would ensure Watford still has a police station for at least the next five years.

Decisions to close police stations ultimately lie with the chief constable but the police and crime commissioner dictates the level of policing he wants to see in a given borough.