McGrady Demands Community Police Scheme to tackle anti-social low level crime

MP calls for Community Police scheme on behalf of the community

Speaking during Northern Ireland Question Time the MP for South Down Eddie McGrady demanded that funding be provided for the implementation of Police Community Support Officers. The MP said:

“At a time when the community increasingly demands a response to the growing levels of anti-social behaviour and low level crime on our streets, the Government have failed to deliver the scheme for the introduction of Community Police Support Officers (PCSO). These individual police officers and teams would be designed specifically to tackle and concentrate on low level crime, and would develop the vital policing connection within the community that is so badly needed in Northern Ireland. The introduction of these teams is also a vital piece of the Patten Review which remains outstanding.

Several years ago the Police Board had completed the require business plan for the introduction of PCSO’s, however funding was not forthcoming and despite undertakings to discuss the matter further the NIO has to date failed to deliver on this vital element of Patten, and much needed policing dynamic within the community.

The success of PCSO’s in other police forces is unquestioned, and in his response to my calls the Minister of State outlined that he was very much aware of the enormous benefits of PCSO’s and that he benefits from these community police teams in his own constituency.

I very much hope that the Minister of State’s positive experience of PCSO’s will move this matter forward and result in funding being made available for this vital policing scheme