Police ask for reinforcements from Great Britain in wake of Ballymena riots
The PSNI has asked for reinforcements to come over from mainland Britain, a senior officer has confirmed.
In Ballymena disorder, 15 officers were injured on Monday night and a further 17 on Tuesday night. Assistant Chief Constable Ryan Henderson this evening (11th) confirmed the PSNI is now turning to England, Scotland and Wales for help.
The process, known as “mutual aid”, allows the police here to get extra manpower or equipment from forces across the water. It was employed around 10 months ago, after several days of anti-immigrant street violence in Belfast last summer – though policing figures say it’s very much looked at as a last resort.
Said the assistant chief constable: “We are taking steps to increase available resources and are surging a significant number of extra officers, vehicles and equipment to those areas where the rioting is taking place.
“This will have an impact on our community. This will take away vital resources needed to police other areas. It will have an impact on our ability to serve communities.
“As part of my forward planning, I have now activated the request for mutual aid resources from policing colleagues in Great Britain to ensure we have the necessary support and maintain public order and bring offenders to justice in the days to come.”
Earlier in the day, the move was predicted to be imminent by Policing Federation chair Liam Kelly, who said the force was already short-staffed and over-stretched before 32 officers were injured over two days of disorder.
“We’re under intense pressure and operating at a level that is downright dangerous,” he said.
“This violence has to end. Should it continue, I expect we will see more officers injured and they will inevitably have to be taken off the frontline to rest and recover.”
Adding that officers are “doing all they can to protect both people and property” amid serious disorder, Mr Kelly said: “Mutual aid is there as a measure of last resort when it becomes clear that the PSNI, which is currently more than 2,200 officers below what’s required, needs to bolster numbers on the ground.
“Officer welfare must be the priority.”