Policing Board Puts Community Involvement On Agenda

Policing in the community is up for discussion both this week in Belfast and separately the following week at a meeting in Newtownabbey. The Northern Ireland Policing Board has invited members of the public to a meeting which will allow them the opportunity to find out more about the work of the Board and how it oversees policing.

The meeting, which takes place between 7.30-9.30pm in the Octagon Suite at the King's Hall on 18th September, aims to people to put questions to a panel from the Board and senior officers from the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI).

Speaking about the meeting, Chairman of the Board, Professor Sir Desmond Rea said: "The primary role of the Board is to hold the PSNI to account through the Chief Constable for the delivery of effective, efficient and impartial policing. The Board is accountable to the people of Northern Ireland as to how it performs this role.

"This is a good opportunity for members of the public to find out more about how our streets are policed and I would encourage members of the public to come along and take part," he said.

Meanwhile, the following week will see further community policing debate taking place as the provision of additional local CCTV surveillance cameras in a Co Antrim suburb is discussed.

The three extra cameras in Glengormley - which have been the subject of previous debate at a local community-based policing body's meetings over the past two years - has already been welcomed by members of the Antrim Line Community Policing Forum.

It is a 'grass-roots' organisation set up under the auspices of one of the District Policing Partnerships (DPPs) which are themselves part of the NI Policing Board's remit.

It is anticipated that the expected changes to electoral boundaries and their impact on the way that DPPs and the associated Policing Fora will operate will also be the subject of some of the discussions taking place, as a question has been framed for the meeting on that subject.

These and other elements of local policing will be up for discussion at this month's Forum meeting which is this time being held in conjunction with one of Newtownabbey DPP's regular 'Meetings In Public'.

It takes place on September 24th at the Mayfield Village Hall, near Mallusk, at which DPP members and senior police officers are available to respond to questions from both concerned residents of the area, and in this case, from Forum members who are also attending in the capacity of members of the general public.

(BMcC)