Row as border PSNI station to be closed
A NEW row has erupted over the PSNI's strategy for policing south Armagh.
Chairman of the Assembly justice committee, Lord Morrow, hit out after new minister David Ford confirmed plans to close Bessbrook PSNI station - in an answer to a written question.
"I asked if there are plans to revert Newtownhamilton police station to full-time status, given the recent terrorist attacks in the area," he said.
"The Chief Constable has advised Bessbrook station will be disposed of, and development of the current site at Newtownhamilton will become a patrol base for the South Armagh area."
UUP deputy leader Danny Kennedy said: "There is no question that local confidence has been shaken by a series of dissident attacks, and I would appeal to the PSNI to reassess their decisions over the police estate in the area.
"I have argued consistently that local stations should be retained, and it is clear – even at this late stage – that a review must be carried out."
In April a local woman in her 80s and a Lithuanian man were injured when a car bomb exploded outside the unoccupied police station in Newtownhamilton.
Officers were criticised for their delay in attending the scene - where firefighters were forced to co-ordinate an evacuation of nearby homes prior to the blast.
This was the second car bomb attack on Newtownhamilton PSNI station in as many weeks.
In January, the Real IRA admitted carrying out a gun attack on Bessbrook PSNI station. No-one was injured in the incident.
In the weeks prior to the Bessbrook shooting Crossmaglen PSNI statioin was attacked.
Lord Morrow said whilst he welcomes the development of the current site at Newtownhamilton, "it should not be at the cost of another station in the South Armagh region".
He said: "The approval to close Bessbrook PSNI Station was taken in 2009 and the situation has changed dramatically since then, as testified by recent events.
"Presently, with increased dissident republican terrorist threat, the Chief Constable should be retaining PSNI Stations and not seeking closures, particularly in border areas."
Lord Morrow said whilst the Chief Constable has assured the public he is adequately resourced, "this is a contrary opinion to that expressed by Chairman of the Police Federation, Terry Spence".
He added: "The Chief Constable needs to get his finger on the pulse of the reality which exists in Northern Ireland once and for all. Dissident terrorists must be thwarted and common sense tells us that will require increased security for citizens. This cannot be achieved by station closures. This public have a right to be protected."
Police Federation chairman Terry Spence said: "There are security issues in relation to this development. We are having ongoing discussions with the local district commander and with Headquarters in respect to those matters.”
Deputy Chief Constable Judith Gillespie said station closures were part of a longer term strategy launched in 2005 and that and all station review programmes have been consulted upon extensively in local areas.
Families Acting for Innocent Relatives spokesman, Willie Frazer said while he welcomed the news about Newtownhamilton becoming a full time patrol base, “it would need to be a proper operational base and not one partly-manned”.
“The Bessbrook station is only two miles from Newry,” he said. “Of course it would be best to keep both open but given the circumstances it is best to keep Newtownhamilton open - as long as it is fully operational.
“The Newtownhamilton PSNI station is only a mile and a half from the border and is a bigger headache dissident wise - as we saw from the recent bomb attacks - so making it fully operational would be better for the community in Newtownhamilton.
“There had been great trouble in getting patrols into the Newtownhamilton area, so having a fully operational base makes more sense.”
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Monday 28 May 2012
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