Ford Puts Policing In The Spotlight

The Stormont Justice Minister, David Ford has set out what he has called his vision for the future of policing in Northern Ireland.

In a wide-ranging speech to delegates at today's Police Federation Annual Conference, the Minister also touched on the issue of resources and the threat faced by police officers.

Alliance's David Ford said: "My vision is policing that serves the people of Northern Ireland. It is a police service drawn from the community, a reflection of that community and one that polices with and in the community.

"Devolution brings with it huge opportunities to address how we as a community want to move the justice agenda forward.

"Our approach to tackling crime should sit alongside our approaches to tackling social deprivation, health inequalities and educational under-attainment to maximise the impact on those in greatest need," he said.

The Minister underlined his commitment to do whatever he can to enable communities to address their differences.

He said: "I do not believe that it is fair or reasonable to expect PSNI officers to fill the void left within our community by failure to agree, whether in relation to parading or other sensitive issues, year after year.

"As a society we have a duty to find ways of moving forward on these issues, including contentious parading," he continued.

"I am discussing with colleagues in the Stormont Executive how we can collectively support communities to address the differences that exist. This is not an empty promise to sort all differences out because that is outside any individual or any Minister's control.

"But I am committed to remain engaged and active in finding ways of making progress where progress can be made," he said.

Turning to the issue of resources, the Minister continued: "My colleagues in the Executive know that resourcing the police is a critical responsibility of any Government.

"While the devolution settlement helpfully addresses many of the legacy issues from the past, we need to secure the right resources for policing the future too. That will not be easy but I am committed to securing an outcome which meets the key needs of policing."

The Minister also praised the bravery of police officers who continue to selflessly serve the community despite the threat they face.

He said: "There is no self-delusion on my part of the growing threat. Attacks in recent months on the community, on police officers seeking to protect the community and most callously of all on children are a clear reminder that there are those who are trying to force their will on our community.

"Our response needs to tackle every expression of paramilitarism and to do so effectively we need to develop the partnerships with the community at all levels - from the strategic to the truly local," the Minister concluded.

(BMcC/KMcA)