Ulster MP Wants NI Cops To Help Beat Riots

NI cops could help beat the rioting and wholesale looting taking place across London and other parts of England this week.

That's according to the Lagan Valley MP Jeffrey Donaldson has called upon the Prime Minister to ensure that the expertise of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) is made available to the Government and mainland police forces to advise on plans to tackle future public disorder on the UK mainland.

The DUP politician and former UDR soldier made the call during a debate in Parliament following the riots in London and other cities earlier in the week.

Speaking from Westminster yesterday, Mr Donaldson said: "People right across the United Kingdom have been shocked by the scenes witnessed across towns and cities in England this week.

"It is very welcome that many of those who were involved in mindless violence and looting have now been arrested and are being brought through the criminal justice system," he added, but continued: "Whilst the immediate focus has rightly been on bringing this disorder to an end and bringing those responsible to justice there will inevitably be a longer term review as to how police forces across the country can tackle this type of public disorder.

"Whilst there may have been differences in how the crowds involved in this disorder behaved, there is no doubt that the PSNI does have the most experience of any police force within the United Kingdom of dealing with public order issues.

"I would hope that the Prime Minister therefore would ensure that the PSNI's expertise is called upon in advising police across the UK when plans are being made about how these kind of situations could be handled in the future," he said.

He added that the "sterling service of police officers on the ground in many towns and cities prevented even worse scenes from unfolding" but said that "it is important that the top-level strategy is correct and deployment strategies are well planned".

"In this way, these brave public servants might be most effective when attempting to combat such wanton violence and crime," he concluded.

(BMcC/GK)