"Previous meetings of the Board to discuss the police estate have been postponed to allow the PSNI to provide additional necessary information.  Unfortunately, it would appear that the PSNI have not used this time appropriately. 

Whilst we acknowledge the rationale behind the station reviews and the need for efficient use of resources, we must not find ourselves in a position whereby police stations are closed and in a few years time the PSNI are left searching for ‘shop fronts’ to replace the police presence, as appears to be the case in Derrygonnelly. 

Furthermore, whilst police stations are being sold off, the money accrued is not necessarily being re-invested into policing the local area.  So whilst we witness asset stripping taking place, we are not assured that the revenue accrued from the sale of those assets will be invested back into the area by putting more officers back on the beat. 

Given the importance of this issue the PSNI should have been in a position to demonstrate more clearly, detailed, suitable and appropriate proposals for policing in these areas.  We believe the PSNI have again failed to provide this information.  Undoubtedly, these proposed closures will leave the west of the Province exposed and vulnerable, and we as a Party have again confronted the PSNI with this fact and they were left in no doubt that we are not prepared to leave innocent people unprotected. 

It is of paramount importance that all alternative policing arrangements must be viable in all circumstances, especially in the west of the Province, which has witnessed the greatest activity from dissident republicans.  Essentially, if these proposals were implemented they would not only have a detrimental impact upon the officers on the ground, but also on the community.  Indeed, the proposals to deploy highly visible PSNI vehicles to areas such as Belleek and Belcoo strike us as absurd in light of the threat posed by dissident republicans.  Essentially, if a threat is issued against these proposed ‘vans’, the vehicle will be withdrawn, leaving the area without a police presence.  Furthermore, during our visit we witnessed at first hand how the response times between these towns will be affected.  It is essential that the PSNI provide us with concrete information on how this will be dealt with.  To do otherwise would certainly mean that the people of Co. Fermanagh would be paying the penalty for the geography of the area. 

A visible and accessible policing service is essential to build confidence in policing.  Surely the lack of clarity in these proposals for alternative policing arrangements suggested by the PSNI will neither enhance engagements with the community nor improve effectiveness on the ground.  We impressed upon Chief Superintendant Skuce that if the PSNI wish to gain our understanding and support they will need to present a much more convincing argument and demonstrate that the alternative arrangements for policing the areas affected by closures are better than that presently provided and are not only up and working successfully but that they are sustainable in the future.  Anything less will only be a retrograde step for policing in these communities.

The DUP is committed to ensuring that the best possible policing service is delivered right across the community and in making any decision around the future of the police estate, we need to be satisfied that the strategy presents a clear vision for the future of the police estate and policing in general."