Met wants public to report crimes at counters in mosques and coffee shops The plans, which are currently in consultation, could see the public reporting crimes in churches and mosques as well as supermarkets, community centres and libraries. A Costa coffee shop in Highgate, North London, could be used as a counter, Labour councillors have claimed. David Lammy, the Labour MP for Tottenham, criticised the plans. "Going into a police station is often the last thing people want to do: they are often under emotional strain," he told The Times. This is not the environment in which you expect victims to be sharing the space with people drinking lattes. It's a serious public service that requires serious public premises. But a spokesman for the force defended the plans. He said: "We are reviewing our front counter services at police stations to see how effectively these services are used. We have looked closely at how many and what types of crime are reported in person at police stations, which will help inform any decisions to alter opening hours or close front counters whilst being there where victims need us. We are considering replacing 65 underused front counters across London with over 200 new contact points - either part of the estate, shared with partners or other public places - which would increase the amount of face-to-face contact we have with the public. At least one police station per borough will provide access for the public 24 hours a day, seven days a week. These 24-hour front counters will be improved to provide a better service for the public and will eventually include, for example, initial contact kiosks to provide instant access translation for the public.