More police on beatdue to smartphones

TOP police officer Stephen Martin says local officers now spend 15 per cent more time on patrols because smartphones enable them to complete paperwork on the hoof.

He cited the technological innovation as one factor enabling the PSNI to consider closing underused police stations like those at Eglinton and Dungiven in order to make efficiency savings.

Chief Superintendent Martin - who is responsible for policing in the Londonderry, Limavady, Strabane and Magherafelt areas - claimed the Northern Ireland police estate was far too big but that modern technology was helping reduce the need for some police stations.

The local police chief made the claims in a letter to Derry City Council Chief Executive Sharon O’Connor providing details on the potential closure of Eglinton, Dungiven and Castlederg stations.

He revealed that whilst Eglinton is currently home to the Waterside Rural Neighbourhood Policing Team only 180 people visited the station in 2011.

Chief Superintendent Martin explained that an overall police estate 70 per cent bigger than those of comparable forces in the UK was the legacy of a “very different era.”

He argued a 12-year low in Northern Ireland crime levels had been achieved by engaging with the public in a variety of ways.

This included online reporting of non-emergency and hate crime and contacting local Neighbourhood Policing Teams directly through telephone numbers provided on the PSNI website.

“As a result of people using these alternative means to interact with police, fewer people are visiting or using police stations,” he wrote.

Alongside this reduction in visitors, police officers are also now able to conduct more bookings via smartphones thus reducing the need to return to base to complete paperwork.

Explained Chief Superintendent: “The introduction of Blackberry smartphones which have now been distributed to over 4,000 frontline police officers has also reduced the need to return to a police station to complete administrative tasks.

“This has already increased the amount of patrol time per officer per shift by over 15 per cent - meaning an extra hour per officer, per shift is spent on the street, in the community they serve.”

The potential closure of Eglinton, Dungiven and Castlederg is the result of a pledge by the PSNI to deliver £135m in efficiency savings over the next four years.

“As part of our agreed plan to deliver these savings, which was previously submitted to the Northern Ireland Policing Board (NIPB), we must deliver a £2.2m saving in the state baseline budget in order to protect frontline staff and services. This means we cannot continue to fund the current size of our police estate,” he advised.

Closing Eglinton, however, will save only £2,911 per year in maintenance costs.

The police say any decision to close the station will be taken in consultation with the Eglinton community.

“While no decisions have been made, it is inevitable that there will be some closure recommendations. My command team and I are committed to listening to the communities we serve.

“I assure you that a decision to recommend the closure of a station is not taken lightly. I can understand that some may take comfort in having a police station nearby, however modern policing is about people, not buildings.

“I want to have a constructive debate with the people of Eglinton and the surrounding area about the way forward.

“I want to talk about the service we currently provide and I welcome your views on how we can deliver a policing service that best suits your need,” he stated.