West Belfast Sinn Féin Sinn Féin -- Building an Ireland of Equals

Public consultations on policing plan to take place

Published: 1 September, 2008

Upper Springfield Sinn Fein councillor and republican ex-prisoner Maire Cush took over as chair of the West Belfast District Policing Partnership in late June, replacing councillor Tom Hartley after his election as Mayor of Belfast.

West Belfast News spoke to Maire about;

  • the role of the DPP;
  • issues raised at DPP public meetings and;
  • the upcoming public consultations on the policing plan for the next year.

''Historically, the police in the North of Ireland have been the paramilitary arm of the British state and their primary role was the suppression of nationalist and republican dissent'', said Maire.

''Sinn Féin views its objective as changing that through a critical engagement with policing structures so that we may have a new policing dispensation.

''Sinn Féin sees policing in the context of a partnership between the policing structures and the community.

''That is, that the community, police structures and all the relevant statutory agencies bring to bear their resources and work to achieve positive outcomes.''

In relation to the DPP public meetings, Maire explains that ''these meetings, which have been very well attended, reflect the concerns of ordinary people in west Belfast and are accessible to the general public.

''Before Sinn Féin participation in the DPP, no written questions had ever been submitted to the PSNI at any previous west Belfast DPP public meeting by any other political party.

'Also, the independent members were people who didn't live in our community and were not asking the hard questions of the PSNI.

''The new independent members, Rosie McCorley, Aine McCabe, Liz Groves and Harry Connolly are from west Belfast, work in the community and have been assertive in putting their points across since they became members of the DPP in June.

''Both Tom Hartley and I have tabled a number of questions on a wide range of issues but, more importantly, the meetings have provided a platform for a robust exchange between the community and the PSNI.

''Sinn Féin has raised issues which are of major concern to our community.

''These include violence against women, drug and alcohol abuse, public area drinking, anti-community behaviour and the carrying of screwdrivers and knives with criminal intent.

''We have raised the need for PSNI officers to be proficient in the Irish Language.

''We have also raised, and will continue to raise, issues around collusion and state murder and we have demanded of the PSNI that they disclose all documents relevant to the inquest into the murder of IRA volunteer Pearse Jordan.''

''Pearse's case has been raised at the meetings by Mark Thompson from Relatives for Justice, Seamus Finucane, Bobby Storey and Ciaran Kearney.

''The PSNI are hoping that Pearse's case will be forgotten with time but we will ensure that it stays at the top of the agenda. All the Jordan family are asking for is the truth'' explained Ms Cush.

''Members of safer neighbourhood groups and residents associations have been very vocal in challenging the PSNI on issues relevant to their local areas.

''Representatives of the Falls Residents Association have highlighted the issue of anti-social behaviour in that area and the need to constantly perform checks on the bail conditions of repeat offenders.

''Members of the Greater Andersonstown Safer Neighbourhood Project have articulated their concerns in relation to the policing operation on the upper Suffolk Road where there is street drinking and anti-social behaviour, and members of the Upper Springfield Safer Neighbourhood Forum have challenged the PSNI in relation to their response times to emergency calls and failure to arrest offenders breaking bail conditions.

''West Belfast MLA Paul Maskey has asked questions on safety in parks and Fra McCann has urged the PSNI to work to reduce street drinking.

''Many other issues have been raised by Sinn Fein, community representatives and individuals,'' said Maire.

With regard to policing priorities, Maire talks about Sinn Féin's work to ensure that policing plans are relevant to the needs of the community.

''Each year the PSNI brings out a policing plan for our area.

''This year we have already started to plan out a policing plan which we believe has to be more relevant to the community.

''There will be a public consultation on the new policing plan and the consultation is open to anyone who wishes to put forward proposals.

''The detail of the public consultation meetings are as follows:

  • Glen Community Centre on Wednesday 3rd September at 7pm
  • Millenium Centre in the Springvale industrial estate on Thursday 4th September at 7pm
  • Spectrum Centre on the Shankill Road on Monday 8th September at 7pm and;
  • Falls Leisure Centre on Thursday 11th September at 7pm.

''I would strongly encourage members of the community to attend and ensure that policing priorities reflect the views of the people.

''Sinn Féin's task as a political party and my task as the chair of the West Belfast DPP is to give support to the community in this new beginning for policing.

''There are many challenges facing us in west Belfast around the issue of policing.

''By working together we can meet those challenges head on and create a west Belfast where we are safer together and where we can enjoy what this community has to offer,'' concluded Maire.