Police put forward the case for station closure

The Times revealed last week how the borough’s policing headquarters will no longer be open for “routine business” from 11pm to 8am from April 1.

Members of the local District Policing Partnership were outraged that the decision was taken without consultation, but District Commander Henry Irvine defended the move, claiming that it will allow the police to provide an increased presence on the ground.

Responding to criticism that no business case had been presented to back up the night-time closure decision, the PSNI this week released details of research which shows that very few members of the public were actually calling at the Shore Road station after 11pm.

According to the police, analysis carried out last year revealed that during April there was an average of just five callers per week at Newtownabbey Station between 11pm and 8am. The statistics also claim that during October there was an average of only two telephone calls per night to the local enquiry office.

Under the new arrangements, these calls will now be handled by a District Call Management Centre.

Chief Superintendent Irvine stressed that the aim of the revised opening hours is to “maximise resources and to get more officers back on the streets to respond to calls from members of the public.”

However, despite the District Commander’s reassurance, local Policing Partnership Chairman, Fraser Agnew, confirmed that the DPP is yet to receive any explanation as to the rationale behind the decision to cut night-time opening.

“It’s extremely disappointing that the world at large can hear some of the police thinking from the media and yet the DPP is still to receive any sort of explanation on a matter that has raised serious local community concern. Quite frankly this DPP feels that it has been treated abysmally by the Police Service of Northern Ireland,” he said.

Councillor Agnew confirmed that since details of the station closure were published in last week’s Times, several irate members of the public have contacted the DPP office clamouring for a public meeting.

Partnership member Nigel Hamilton believes that a public meeting should only take place after members of the watchdog are furnished with the exact reasons behind the PSNI’s move.

“It is essential that we request an emergency meeting with the Chief Constable and Chair of the Community Engagement Committee of the Policing Board to develop a thorough understanding of the rationale behind this decision,” he commented.

From April 1, the general enquiry office at Newtownabbey Station will be closed to the public at nights for routine business such as producing driving documents. However, 24-hour security personnel will still be available to deal with anyone calling in an emergency situation.