Hampshire Police held a public meeting, lead by Hampshire Constabulary’s Assistant Chief Constable Laura Nicholson, at St George’s School on 13th September to explain policing in the area after the closure of Portswood Police Station. The meeting was well attended, especially by City Councillors who spoke vociferously against the closure. The police maintained that as most people contact the police by phone or internet they would notice little difference. There would be no reduction in the number of neighbourhood police officers for the area. For those who needed it, they were looking into surgeries at venues such as supermarkets.