07/10/2008

Policing Board Successfully 'Engages'

Recognising that policing is a complex issue, members of the NI Policing Board's Community Engagement Committee have hailed their recent public meeting of the Board a "successful step in implementing the Community Engagement Strategy".

Speaking about the Strategy, Chairman of the Community Engagement Committee, MLA and former Sinn Fein Mayor of Belfast, Alex Maskey, (pictured at the meeting) said: "The Policing Board held its first open public meeting as part of our commitment to facilitate a more meaningful dialogue between the PSNI the public and indeed the Policing Board itself. The event was held as part of the Board's Community Engagement Strategy.

"I am fully aware that the issues of Policing and Community safety are complex and require considerable debate. The meeting was an attempt to both encourage and promote this debate and I am pleased with the public response to the meeting which was well attended.

"The range of issues raised by those in attendance prove the need for such public meetings and discussion," he said, noting that the Community Engagement Committee is "determined to facilitate the public in their right to have a real say in how policing is delivered to their communities and this work will continue".

"The Committee recognises that this meeting was the first of its type and we are anxious to learn from the experience and make future meetings even more worthwhile," he concluded.

(BMcC)

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