Annual Public Performance Meeting of Causeway Coast and Glens Policing Committee.

The Police and Community Safety Partnership held their annual public performance meeting in Ballymoney Town Hall recently.

PSNI Area Commander, Superintendent Jeremy Lindsay, heard the views of local people and discussed the delivery of policing in the area.

The PCSP, which was established in June 2015, has specific statutory authority for oversight of local policing and gaining the co-operation of the public with the police in preventing crime and enhancing community safety within the district.

This model of oversight provided by the Policing Committee through its political and independent membership, offers a powerful mechanism to achieve this goal. All Councils in Northern Ireland have a role in facilitating PCSP’s, each of which has a Policing Committee.

The Policing Committee is overseen by, and directly responsible to, the Policing Board.

Commenting on the role of the Policing Committee, PCSP Chair, Councillor Tony McCaul said “Members work to create effective engagement opportunities between the Police and the community, to ensure the views and priorities of local people are reflected”.

Superintendent Jeremy Lindsay said: “It is important that we take the time to review the policing service we deliver each year, to ensure our efforts are focused on the priorities that matter to the people of Causeway Coast and Glens. Anti-social behaviour and keeping people safe on our roads feature prominently in this year’s plan and we will continue to work with our partners and the wider community to deliver on those outcomes.”

Guest speaker at the event was Vice-Chair of Northern Ireland Policing Board, Debbie Watters who said “This is community engagement with local policing in action and a key element of the police accountability the Policing Board is responsible for overseeing. It is important that local communities have access to the policing decisions being taken in their area and have a forum for raising issues and problems their neighbourhoods are experiencing. We also want to see that the key measures set out in the Annual Policing Plan are filtering down to local level.”

Membership of the PCSP includes elected members of Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council and publicly appointed members of the community, as well as statutory organisations that have a role in reducing crime and tackling anti-social behaviour. The PCSP aims to deliver safer, shared and confident communities across the Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council area.

If you would like to know more, please contact 028 777 60304 or email pcsp@causewaycoastandglens.gov.uk.