Campaigners say a “skewed” survey may have seriously underestimated how much the public rely on Forres police station.
MSP David Stewart is questioning the “bizarre” decision to reduce the opening hours of the station’s public counter.
Mr Stewart, who represents the Highlands and Islands, said unnamed officers had told him that a survey conducted by the force which led to the reduction was deeply flawed.
He said: “I have been advised that the result may be due to the fact that a recent survey carried out in relation to police counters was ‘skewed’.
“There were supposed to be two members of support staff at Nairn, Forres and Buckie, recording details of footfall at the police counters in any one day of the survey over a 14-hour period.
“However, I’m led to believe that in Forres there was only one staff member available, as the other one was on maternity leave.
“If this is correct, then the data from Forres would only have been collected over a seven-hour period per day.”
The MSP says it is wrong that Forres is now open for only 40 hours a week, compared to Nairn which is open 119 hours and Buckie 70 hours.
He said “These are towns which have populations half the size of Forres.
“I am totally perplexed as to why the other two will stay open for longer seven days per week”.
Mr Stewart launched a petition last month calling for Forres station’s public counter to be open seven days a week.
It can be found at www.ipetitions.com/petition/forrespolicepubliccounter
On March 3, the counters at Fochabers, Bucksburn in Aberdeen, Aboyne, Portsoy and Tobermory shut completely.
Chief Inspector Willie Findlay said: “We have listened to all the views put forward during the public counters consultation and made changes to reflect this.
“However, an effective, modern policing service must evolve to reflect any community. These changes allow us to ensure more of the right people with the right skills are available to serve communities in a manner that reflects the way people now live their lives.
“Anyone calling at Forres station outwith the 9am to 5pm period will receive help either via the intercom system linked to our service centre or, if officers are indeed present in the building, they will attend personally to callers.”