Cops new tactic in drugs battle

Acting on concerns aired by community activitists involved in the town's PACT initiative (Partners and Community Together), local officers will be visiting drugs' suspects' in the estate and offering them support services.

Revealing the plan at Ballymena Police Station on Friday, Inspector Pete Bouma explained: "Suspected offenders will be getting personal visits and offered support, ' a way out', if you like, from drugs.

"But if not taken, they will be warned that they will be searched, arrested and investigated at every lawful opportunity by a number of agencies," he said.

Local residents will also be visited by a uniformed neighbourhood police officer and given information on how they can report their suspicions scurely and, if need be, anonymously.

Inspector Bouma said that the Rectory 'visits' were one of a number of 'PACT priorities' which will be rolled out by the Ballymena District Command from now until March.

He said police will be getting together with residents in Harryville and with other partners to identify 'youths causing annoyance' in the area in recent times, to identify the locations for their activities and to explore workable solutions.

A meeting, he added, is also on the cards with traders in the Pennybridge Industrial Estate to explore options around crime prevention, particularly thefts.