FEARS have been raised crime victims will not be able to report incidents face to face after Strathclyde Police moved to close the front desks of police offices outside peak times.
Strathclyde Police said the plan is under consideration due to increasing numbers of people reporting crimes on its website and via Twitter. It has led to a decline in visits to individual stations.
The force has launched a public consultation, which it claims will allow more officers to spend time on the beat.
Labour last night linked the possible closures to the Scottish Government's decision to cut the number of civilian police staff.
Labour justice spokesman Lewis MacDonald said: "This is extremely disappointing to hear. Victims of crime need to know they can contact their local police station to report incidents and get help. It shows the SNP's decision to cut so many civilian police staff is causing a strain."
A Scottish Conservative spokesman added: "This is concerning because the public rely on being able to speak face to face with someone at their local police station.
"With the move to a single force just around the corner, it is even more important that local accountability remains. By reducing front desk presence, that will not happen."
But the force's deputy chief constable, Campbell Corrigan, said it made "no sense" to staff front counters when no-one is using them.
He added: "At the moment, opening hours for public counters in police offices throughout the force area vary.
"This review will establish corporate opening hours and ensure our resources continue to be accessible to the public.
"It means we'll be able to free up staff and officers to address what the public really want and expect of us in their communities."
The Scottish Government said it was a matter for Strathclyde Police.
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