Crime down by almost 10 per cent in Derry

Police Ombudsman Dr. Michael Maguire (seated, second from left), at his meeting with the PCSP in St. Columbs Park House, pictured with (seated, from left), Councillor Eric McGinley, chairman of Derry City and Strabane District Councils PCSP, independent member Margaret McLaughlin, and the Deputy Mayor Alderman Thomas Kerrigan 2016-3706MT.

The figures were revealed as the Policing Committee of Derry and Strabane Policing and Community Safety Partnership (PCSP) met with the PSNI senior team this week to discuss the District Commander’s Annual Report for 2016/17.

At the meeting, members of the Policing Committee raised various issues including road safety, police visibility and response times.

Anti-social behaviour, drugs awareness, burglary and business and rural crime were also raised with the District Commander and his senior officers.

In a joint statement issued after the meeting, Councillor Gus Hastings, PCSP Chair and Linda Watson PCSP Vice-Chair, stated: “Officers advised us of progress against the targets set out in the Local Policing Plan for 2016/17.

“The members welcomed the overall 9.5% reduction in crime in the Council area over the past 12 months equating to 870 fewer victims of crime.

“Committee members and PSNI acknowledged the positive partnership approach to tacking crime and increasing community safety in the district with PCSP, statutory partners, community groups and indeed the general public all contributing to this encouraging reduction.

“Behind these statistics are victims and we will continue to work with the police to ensure that their needs are met and that PSNI, locally, delivers positive outcomes for all our citizens.”

They added: “Overall, the District Commander’s report for this year is positive but there is also a number of areas where we need to work to improve performance, and members will monitor these areas of concern over the coming months.

“We would thank all the partners involved in making our communities safer places to live, work and visit and look forward to more positive outcomes in the coming months.”

Committee members reaffirmed their commitment to continue to support the police to tackle crime and also to monitor police performance in the coming year.