LANCASHIRE'S crime commissioner has been accused of dodging the public and councillors on a lunchtime visit to Clitheroe and its police station.

Senior Ribble Valley Conservatives said Clive Grunshaw was behaving in the opposite way to children’s TV favourite PC McGarry, who engages with people and seeks out criminals.

Tory council candidate Kevin Horkin spotted the Labour politician with a photographer in Clitheroe on Tuesday visiting the police station, where the front desk has been controversially closed to the public.

Borough council leader Cllr Ken Hind and fellow Tory councillor Ged Mirfin, both on the Police and Crime Panel which oversees his work, said Mr Grunshaw was there for purely political purposes and avoided answering questions about rising crime in the area.

Mr Horkin said: “I spotted the Police and Crime Commissioner moving quickly between locations, photographer in tow, having his picture taken to show that he’d actually been here. It’s a pity he didn’t show up a couple of weeks ago when there was a ram-raid on the Spar shop on Edisford Road.”

Cllr Mirfin said: “It’s a pity that Mr Grunshaw behaved in the opposite way to ‘the big friendly policeman. PC McGarry number 452’ from Camberwick Green by dodging questions and the public.

“There was no need to engage in such secretive cloak-and-dagger activity when people want reassuring about policing in Clitheroe and the Ribble Valley.”

Cllr Hind said: “It was was significant Mr Grunshaw did not let either of the Ribble Valley representatives on the Police and Crime Panel know he was in the town.

“He disappeared into Clitheroe Police Station, access denied to the population of Clitheroe and the Ribble Valley.

“ If they want to seek assistance they have to go to Accrington, Burnley, Blackburn or Preston because the commissioner has closed the front office.

“I would have welcomed the opportunity to argue for reopening the police stations to the public. Instead the unfriendly commissioner crept in and and crept out."

Mr Grunshaw said: “Visiting local police stations is a regular part of my role. I visited Clitheroe police station to meet local officers and to talk about local issues. I am well aware of the concerns around resources for policing and increased demands caused by austerity.

“I held a public consultation event in Clitheroe in September and any suggestion I am trying to avoid the public is simply untrue.

“ I would welcome Cllr Hind’s and Cllr Mirfin’s support in lobbying the Government for more funding for local policing.”