Concern at decision to close PSNI office

Concern at decision to close PSNI office

22 March 2017

THE PSNI has been urged to urgently review a decision to close the enquiry office at Newcastle police station.

The office is one of six across the Province which police chiefs are proposing to close because of budget cuts, but local politicians insist Newcastle should be viewed as a special case and the office at the South Promenade station kept open.

Politicians are concerned they were given no prior warning of Monday morning’s announcement and planned to raise the issue at last night’s meeting of the district’s Policing and Community Safety Partnership.

The PSNI is proposing to close the Newcastle office in two weeks’ time which will leave the district with just one enquiry office located at Downpatrick police station which will be open to the public from Monday to Friday between 11am and 7pm, but will close at weekends and on public holidays.

The Downpatrick office will be the only place where people across the district will be able to produce driving documents, pay warrant fines and sign bail documents. The office will also handle foreign students’ registration documents.

Police said a recent review analysed the number of visits that took place at the Newcastle station during the first two weeks of October last year and two weeks in November. In the first two week analysis, 96 people visited the office, with 29 people visiting during the second survey period.

However, Mournes councillors Willie Clarke and Laura Devlin argue there is a need to retain the Newcastle enquiry office and are concerned it is being closed in the run-up to the traditionally busy Easter and summer period.

Councillor Clarke expressed surprise there was no public consultation about the closure, warning the decision leaves a huge swathe of the district being covered by just one police enquiry office which is not open at weekends.

“We are approaching the busy Easter and traditionally busy summer season in Newcastle and I believe the closure of the enquiry office will be felt widely. The decision has the potential to impact on vulnerable people in particular and what are those who do not have access to a car going to do if they have to make their way to Downpatrick police station? Not everyone uses digital and social media and the closure of the Newcastle office will affect them,” he said.

“It is 14 miles to Downpatrick from Newcastle and for many people that will be a journey which will be extremely difficult to make given their personal circumstances. There are still people who like face-to-face contact with police officers and I firmly believe the Newcastle office should remain open.”

Councillor Devlin said she would be raising her concerns on behalf of the people of Newcastle and wider district with the police.

“While six enquiry offices in various areas are closing, elected representatives in the Newcastle area should have been pre-warned about this decision,” she declared. “This decision means Down District will only have one enquiry office based in Downpatrick which I and many others do not believe is sufficient.

“A fully functioning enquiry office is needed in Newcastle and is viewed as important. I hope it can remain open and will be making this point with the PSNI. An area like this is heavily populated at various times of the year and it will be a major inconvenience for many if they have to make their way to Downpatrick to produce driving documents if requested to do so by police,” said councillor Devlin. “Many will be concerned at this closure decision.”