Concerns raised over invisibility of police

A Londonderry community worker has expressed concern about the perceived invisibility of police in the city’s rural suburbs.
DUP Alderman Gary Middleton and DUP MLA Maurice Devenney outside Eglinton PSNI before it closed last year.DUP Alderman Gary Middleton and DUP MLA Maurice Devenney outside Eglinton PSNI before it closed last year.
DUP Alderman Gary Middleton and DUP MLA Maurice Devenney outside Eglinton PSNI before it closed last year.

Martin McCartney of the Maydown Community Association told the Sentinel he hadn’t seen a community police officer in the wider Enagh area since April.

“I, on a regular basis, would hear from people in the Maydown area, telling me that there are never any police in the area,” said Mr McCartney.

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“Things are very good in Maydown and Strathfoyle, in that we don’t have a big problem with anti-social behaviour, to the extent that other areas might.

“However, we don’t ever see police cars in the area. Now, we’re not expecting a ‘bobby on the beat’ or policemen constantly cycling in the area but you can’t stress enough the peace of mind a regular presence has, particularly for older people.”

DUP MLA Maurice Devenney said he has been contacted by several community representatives concerned about the effect of potential cutbacks to community policing.

He raised the matter at a meeting of the local Policing and Community Safety Partnership (PCSP) in St Columb’s Park House last Wednesday (November 5) at which the Chief Constable George Hamilton was in attendance.

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He said: “With closures of police stations throughout the rural area, community groups need this vital link to deal with issues facing our communities such as anti social behaviour, drug abuse and theft.

“In recent weeks, several community groups have made contact with my office to raise their concerns and the apparent rise in anti social behaviour and lack of visibility of police officers on the ground.

“Over the coming days I will be raising this issues again with senior police officers locally and the Justice Minister.”

Addressing fears that community policing would be cut back at a Policing Board meeting in the Waterside Theatre on Thursday the Chief Constable George Hamilton said his force would continue to adhere to the Patten principle that policing with the community should be the core function of the police service here.

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“Because we are in the middle of a bit of chaotic change and massive budget reductions I can’t give any cast iron guarantee but what I can say is that the decisions that we make are going to be firmly grounded in these principles that lie in the Patten blueprint because we believe it still works,” he told the board.