Published: Thursday, 6th August, 2009 9:00am

Police stations will close

by Editorial Department

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The Policing Board is expected to today(Thursday) confirm the closure of four police stations in Fermanagh.

The local head of the PSNI, Chief Superintendent Michael Skuce, has already recommended that Newtownbutler, Belcoo, Belleek and Kesh, along with a fifth in Fivemiletown, should be sold off.

He says they are as drain on resources.

Belcoo closed its doors over four years ago but is reported to have cost £200,000 to maintain since then.

However, unionist politicians say the closures are premature, given the high threat of dissident terrorist attack in Fermanagh.

DUP MLA Arlene Foster said that in light of that threat "it strikes me as nonsensical that the PSNI continues to press ahead with the proposed closures of stations along the Border".

She said there have been numerous dissident attacks in south-east Fermanagh in recent months.

Referring to the theft of a cash machine containing £80,000 from a shop in Newtownbutler when police took over 13 hours to get to the scene because of the dissident threat she said that as a consequence public confidence in the PSNI's ability to deliver effective, responsive policing in the area was suffering.

"In the past, we have seen police stations close in County Fermanagh accompanied by assurances that policing would not suffer as a consequence. In my view, policing has suffered and the people of Fermanagh have been short-changed in the delivery of policing," she stated.

She described the PSNI's proposals to meet the policing need in rural Fermanagh as "totally inadequate" and said the plan to close the four stations "must be scrapped".

Ulster Unionist MLA Tom Elliott said the proposed closures showed that the so called "consultations" on the future of the stations were just a waste of time and money.

"The decision to close these station was taken years ago without little input from the local community, apart from those who have been trying to remove the police from the area over many years," he stated.

He argued that a regular police presence is a deterrent against anti-social behaviour and is a vital reassurance particularly to more elderly people.

"The argument of costs is often put forwards as the primary reason for these closures, but the cost to local communities is never mentioned. Can the PSNI prove to me that this move will result with more or better community policing? I doubt not as it hasn't proved the case in the past," stated Mr. Elliott.