Newry Armagh Sinn Féin Sinn Féin -- Building an Ireland of Equals

DPP Public meetings must be made more interesting for the public - Sinn Féin

Published: 10 April, 2009

Sinn Féin DPP member Brendan Curran has said that the current format for DPP public meetings does not engage with the public and has become a 'box ticking exercise'.

Speaking after a meeting of the District Policing Partnership in the Council Offices on Wednesday, Cllr Curran said,

"The current format of the public meetings whereby the PSNI give a power point presentation does not provide any stimulus for the audience and has become no more than a 'box ticking exercise' for the PSNI."

"Sinn Féin has always strived to bring a dynamic to the DPPs which would encourage the public to engage with the PSNI. This public engagement is crucial in delivering truly accountable policing to the people of the Six Counties."

"At today's meeting Sinn Féin DPP members suggested an alternative approach to these meetings. We suggested that the meetings should have a theme relevant to the area it is being hosted in such as; rural issues, drugs, vehicle crime, anti-social behaviour and other topical issues."

Sinn Féin Councillor Mickey Ruane agreed and stated that there should be an emphasis to engage with young people and marginalised groups.

"It was also suggested at the meeting by an independent member that the format be changed as people do not want to sit and listen to quarterly report as it does not engage the audience. The current format merely fulfils a duty and nothing else. Very few people turn up at the public meetings and it has been like this for years. Clearly something is wrong and should therefore be addressed by the DPP so that people can be encouraged to engage with the police."

"We have a duty to have public meetings - and it is a statutory obligation for the PSNI to give a quarterly report but we have asked that this is given in a hard copy for people to see and fully evaluate."

Cllr Ruane concluded,

"These meetings held to give a quarterly report are a total waste of taxpayers' money; they are a waste of police time and paper."

Note to Editors:

Next public meeting is to take place on May 11th in Hilltown in the Downshire Arms