Mixed reaction from politicians to police station closures

THERE has been a mixed reaction from local politicians to H District Commander Chris Noble’s recommendation for closure and disposal of police stations in Broughshane and Portglenone.

SDLP Councillor Declan O’Loan described it as “the correct decision”.

He said: “Obviously there is a strong feeling of loss in a local community when a longstanding part of the infrastructure disappears and that will be the case in Portglenone and Broughshane. However I have seen no real evidence that these police stations are contributing to better policing which is about getting officers outside of stations and in contact with the community.

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“It is important now that the police move to give reassurance to the public and maintain confidence. They have given an assurance that the closures will not lead to a reduction in Neighbourhood Police Oficer presence in these areas. This must be honoured and police must be visible in these rural areas.”

Also responding to the news that the PSNI are to proceed with the closure plans, North Antrim MLA Daithí McKay said the land should be used for the benefit of local communities.

“Key stakeholders in the community need to start the process now, and many of them already have, of deciding what should be located at these sites once they are disposed of and local politicians need also to get behind communities in putting proposals forward to the relevant government departments,” he said.

“Policing in the 21st Century is not about looking after empty police stations, it is about having adequate and proper policing resources on the ground to service the needs of the community. The facts show that the police stations that are closing are not used by the public and therefore do not represent value for money,” said the SF MLA.

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TUV Leader and local MLA, Jim Allister, expressed his anger at the PSNI proposal to persist with the closures particularly given the groundswell of public support for the stations to remain open which, he said, was evident by the turnout at local public consultation meetings.

“It bodes ill that our police chief wants to diminish, not strengthen the police presence, particularly at a time of rising rural crime. He is letting the public down.

“The campaign against these closures is not over. The matter now passes to the Policing Board, which needs to realise that effective policing cannot be delivered without police stations in the rural hinterland both west and east of Ballymena. Promises of a mobile presence from a remote base fool no one. The ratepayers and taxpayers of Ballymena pay a proper police service and that is what they must have,” said Mr Allister.

DUP MLA and Policing Board member, David McIlveen commented: “I am saddened that the area commander has taken this course of action and I do not believe he has appropriately considered local opinion. That said, it is important to note that the ultimate decision rests with the Chief Constable, Matt Baggott.

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“I will continue to lobby the Chief Constable as this progresses and I hope that I can influence him to take a measured decision, taking into account what really is best for policing in North Antrim. Budgets in all public departments are strained, and we have to take difficult decisions in difficult economic times. However, those decisions must take into account the interests of people living in the area affected.

“I would urge people in the communities affected to continue to show their support for their local stations. This is a blow to the campaigners, however the fight is not over yet,” said the DUP MLA.

North Antrim DUP MLA Paul Frew said he would “fight this tooth and nail” against the recommendation and appealed to the rural community to support him.

He said: “I will take this as far as I can to try and overturn this decision. The PSNI are throwing away a great opportunity to do policing differently in the Borough in the face of mounting financial pressure, they have heard at first hand how the community would be willing to look at ways to make the stations more financially viable and I believe they should be exploring ways for that to happen.

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“This decision if it goes through will leave large areas of the countryside neglected and I believe it is tantamount to a withdrawal of the rural areas of the Ballymena Borough by the police, which is totally and utterly unacceptable.”

Ballymena Councillor and DPP member, Audrey Wales described the recommendation for closures as “a backward step”.

She said: “When I think back to the breakfast meeting the Chamber of Commerce had with the Chief Constable Matt Baggott a few weeks after he was in post and he stressed how much emphasis he put on Community Policing and we now learn of these two stations based in the heart of two communities closing it seems unbelievable to me. What better example of community policing can you have than Police Officers based in the community they are policing and known to all the residents. With the increase in Rural Crime this seems a backward step.”

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