Reduction in police hours described as ‘a nonsense’

Alderman Jonathan Craig has described it as ‘a nonsense’ a decision to reduce opening hours at Lisburn Station Enquiry Office.
Thye Flag Flying at Half Mast at Lisburn PSNI Station. US1109-116AO  Picture By: Aidan O'ReillyThye Flag Flying at Half Mast at Lisburn PSNI Station. US1109-116AO  Picture By: Aidan O'Reilly
Thye Flag Flying at Half Mast at Lisburn PSNI Station. US1109-116AO Picture By: Aidan O'Reilly

His comments come after District Commander Chief Supt. Henry Irvine revealed that all police stations in the D District, will reduce opening hours at Enquiry Offices as part of ongoing efforts to make significant budget cuts. He went onto say that the District Commander has assured the local community that this will not mean a reduction in the level of service delivered in D District.

Mr Craig said that he would be taking up the issue with the police as it will have a negative impact on policing locally.

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“This is further reducing public confidence in the police,” he said. “To say that they are saving money is just the height of nonsense.

“I cannot see by closing the Enquiry Office it is saving money. The officers are still inside the building. If they are inside then why can they not do their paper work at the Enquiry Office to keep it open because the police are not out on the streets.”

Mr Irvine said that the move is to save £38.4million by March 31 2015.

It comes weeks after the PSNI Custody Suite at Lisburn Police Station closed.

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“We have had to make some very difficult decisions around this but we are content the opening hours will meet local demand,” Mr Irine said. “It is also important the public is reassured that a reduction in enquiry office opening hours does not mean a reduction in our service.

“Policing remains a 24 hours, seven days a week operation and we will continue to help anyone in an emergency situation.

Police activities within stations will continue as normal and we can be contacted 24 hours a day on either 101 or 999 in the case of an emergency.”

Reassuring the public of the PSNI’s continued commitment to delivering a service to the people within D District, Mr Irvine said, “The change to the station enquiry office opening hours is not a change to the level of service or engagement we have with the local community.

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“The public are engaging with the police in different ways – from online reporting of non-emergency crime, to interacting with local police on our local Facebook pages and Twitter feeds, to contacting local neighbourhood policing teams directly as their contact details are available from the PSNI website.

“Fewer people are visiting or using police stations and officers within this District are now engaging with their local communities in a variety of ways.

“The reality is that nearly all policing services are delivered outside of stations. Policing isn’t about buildings it is about officers working with the community.”

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