O’Loan seeking policing ‘clarity’

The changes are the PSNI response to budget cuts.

He said: “As a member of the Policing and Community Safety Partnership, I am extremely concerned about an announcement that, once again, local policing structures are to be changed.

“I am particularly concerned to see that response teams which are a central pillar of local policing delivery are to be abolished.

“We need to know what this means, what the new Local Policing Teams will do, and what are the changes to Neighbourhood Policing Teams.

“ I have contacted the PCSP management asking that we obtain a detailed briefing from the PSNI and quickly. We need to be able to reassure the public that they will continue to be adequately protected.”

“I note also that the PSNI are aligning their Districts with the new Council areas, so that Mid and East Antrim becomes a police district.

“ I welcome back Superintendent Ryan Henderson as District Commander. Ryan was Area Commander for Ballymena and Larne before, and knows the area well.

“The alignment with Council boundaries is useful for accountability purposes but I hope that these areas will have all the necessary resources at senior and strategic level.”