No time for reducing police hours
AS dissident republicans step up their terrorist campaign across Northern Ireland, the PSNI has decided to reduce the number of hours for part-time officers in Co Tyrone.
It is little wonder Omagh councillor Ross Hussey has described the move as "nonsensical" and Terry Spence of the Police Federation has said the cuts seem strange at a time when the province is facing a very significant increase to the terrorist threat.
It has been revealed that part-time officers in Omagh will be restricted to 12 hours a month, although the local commander, Chief Superintendent Michael Skuce, has said he is confident he has the necessary resources to police the area.
There is, however, every likelihood that further cuts will be made to the hours of part-time police officers in other parts of Northern Ireland.
Chief Constable Matt Baggott has been successful in getting more police officers moved out of desk jobs onto the front-line but even more needs to be done to confront the terrorists stalking our province.
The chief constable will get the support of the public if he takes up the fight for a bigger budget.
Apart from the obvious grief and trauma, terrorist violence costs a lot of money.
The car bomb in Londonderry cost tens of thousands of pounds and unless something is done about the dissidents, it will not be the last bombing
of its type.
Now is not the time to penny pinch and politicians must also ensure the police get more money when they need it most. The alternative is unthinkable.
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Thursday 24 May 2012
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