East Antrim urgedto speak out onlocal policing

A series of information sessions are being held across Northern Ireland by the PSNI and Policing Board.

For Mid and East Antrim, this will take place at The Braid in Ballymena, on September 26, at 7.30 pm.

In Newtownabbey, this will take place at the Linen Suite, at Mossley Mill, on October 17, from 7.00 pm until 9.00 pm.

Mid and East Antrim PCSP chair Cllr Paul Sinclair said: “It is really important that local communities have their say on what their policing priorities are and this is your chance to shape how things are delivered in the future.

Meanwhile, DUP councillor Ald Gregg McKeen has voiced concern over the allocation of senior officers.

He said: “I am hugely concerned that our District Commander, Superintendent Darrin Jones, will be tasked with covering both Mid and East Antrim, and Antrim and Newtownabbey for the foreseeable future.

“I am very disappointed by the PSNI’s approach to this. This is no reflection on Supt Jones or his officers in any way, or their abilities. What I am questioning is how the senior officer for Mid and East Antrim can be shared with another area, and how we will lose out as a result.”

Chief Supt. Simon Walls commented: “Council chief executives and chairs of Police and Community Safety Partnerships were advised of some changes to District Commands in June 2018. They were told that these changes were temporary and would be resolved following promotion processes later in the year.”