‘PSNI wasting time on SF rants while neglecting policing’

Party leader and North Antrim MLA Jim Allister claimed that, for example, officers did not collect CCTV evidence of a bomb alert on the Burn Road in Cookstown for three days.

The incident happened on Saturday, and was later declared an “elaborate hoax” .

Mr Allister said this afternoon: “One of the affected shops identified on its CCTV a figure apparently leaving the device. Properly, the shopkeeper contacted the PSNI. Three days later the police have still to come and collect the CCTV and it appears the CCTV from other premises has also not been checked.”

He said “on the ground policing is being neglected”, but “senior officers can be tied up for hours before the Policing Board to listen to a Sinn Fein rant about what the police did or didn’t do years ago”.

In response this evening, PSNI superintendent Mike Baird said the Chief Constable believes the Policing Board is “a critical part of the policing structures”.

He added: “Following the incident [in Cookstown] detectives from Criminal Investigation Branch have commenced a thorough investigation.

“This has included the forensic examination of the object and house to house enquiries. Detectives have also examined all available CCTV footage of the incident as part of their investigation.”

He appealed for witnesses to call Cookstown PSNI station on 101, quoting ref. 493 23/02/19