Causeway Coast and Glens PCSP vows to build on drug awareness campaign
Mon, July 06, 2020
Causeway Coast and Glens Policing and Community Safety Partnership has vowed to continue to highlight the dangers of drugs through its work with young people, schools and communities.
The issue was one of the main talking points at a recent PCSP meeting, which was held remotely due to the ongoing pandemic.
Working with the PSNI, the PCSP facilitated five public drug awareness events across the Borough last year, featuring representation from local officers, education from Start 360 and testimony from local community members. The main aim was to highlight the damage that drugs can cause to our families and the wider community.
The Partnership also ran local awareness raising campaigns, facilitated school events and installed RAPID (Remove All Prescription and Illegal Drugs) bins in Coleraine and Limavady to remove prescription and illegal drugs from our streets and ultimately make the borough a safer place.
At the PCSP meeting held on Monday 29th June, Councillor Brenda Chivers asked for more to be done to combat drug dealers. Her motion was seconded by Councillor Peacock and accepted by the PCSP board for action. The motion was as follows;
"To establish a project that will raise awareness of those involved in drug dealing, in order to give the public the confidence to report any drug dealing in their areas".
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PCSP Chair Councillor Oliver McMullan said: “Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the PCSP has been unable to hold a typical Partnership meeting but modern technology allowed us to meet via online platforms where the issue of drug dealing was discussed at great length. Building on our recent anti-drug initiatives, and in line with ongoing coronavirus restrictions, we intend to develop our work with the RAPID Bins initiative and to continue our localised campaigns where information and advice will be provided on billboards, phone boxes and buses across the area. Further educational programmes are also on the agenda, focusing on schools and the wider public, in line with our Action Plan.
“Make no mistake, drug dealing is happening in our communities and whilst we have been assured by the PSNI that additional resources are being deployed, the problem requires a collective response from not just police, but other agencies and the wider community. Disrupting the sale and supply of illegal and dangerous drugs continues to be a priority and whilst the PSNI is committed to tackling the issue, they need co-operation.
“We would continue to encourage everyone to report any information about drug dealing to the PSNI (101) or you can contact the Crimestoppers charity anonymously on 0800555111. Your information may be the final piece of intelligence needed to search a suspected dealer’s home or it could help identify a new dealer in your area.
“Don’t let drug dealers destroy lives in our communities - call now and help us stop them.”