Hertfordshire police have moved to reduce the amount of officer time spent driving suspects to cells.

The Watford Observer last year revealed hours of police time were being wasted in journeys to Hatfield after the closure of the town’s custody suite.

Now the force says it has bought new cars that can be manned by just one officer, meaning that less police time is needed to process an arrested person.

The four new Vauxhall Astra estate cars, which will be piloted by officers in Three Rivers and Watford, will only be used for taking low risk detainees to custody cells in Stevenage and Hatfield.

The first car was rolled out in Three Rivers just before Christmas and a second is expected to be introduced in Watford this week. Two more cars are planned for Dacorum and Broxbourne.

Superintendent Shirley Sargent, the Force’s strategic lead for cell cars, said: “While the pilot is part of a wider review of our vehicle fleet the commencement has coincided with the closure of Watford custody in December, and hopefully it will provide some reassurance to members of the public who may be concerned about the changes.

“One of the main concerns is that more officers’ time will be spent travelling to and from custody rather than on patrol in the areas like Three Rivers and Watford.

“The use of cell cars means that in many cases fewer officers will be required for routine and low risk journeys to the nearest custody suite in Hatfield.”

Arresting officers will have to decide if a single-crewed cell car can be used, and will record the journey using their body worn video cameras that can be placed in a special mount in the vehicles.

Supt Shirley Sargent added: “The pilot is part of a wide-ranging review of the force’s fleet with the aim of maximising its capacity and flexibility. The cost difference between a cell car and a normal police car is slight, whereas the cost of buying and running a police van is much more.

“For many compliant detainees a police van is not appropriate either; here cell cars offer a safe and practical alternative that means arrests will have a minimal impact on policing the districts and boroughs furthest from custody.”

Police chiefs are introducing several other measures to get officers back on their beats after the custody suite was closed in Watford Police Station, saving an estimated 350,000 a year.

These include paying two taxi companies to take people home from Hatfield and creating video links between police officers and custody staff.

Hertfordshire’s police and crime commissioner David Lloyd last week confirmed plans to cut the amount of council tax the force will be asking for in the next financial year, while also building in plans for extra spending.

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