PUBLIC opening hours at police stations within C District will be reduced as part of ongoing efforts to make significant budget cuts.
However, the District Commander has assured the local community this will not mean a reduction in the level of service delivered in this area.
With a requirement to save £38.4million by 31 March 2015, the PSNI is exploring ways to live within a reduced budget. As part of this process, changes to enquiry office opening hours at stations across Northern Ireland are being implemented, including stations within the North Down, Ards, Down and Castlereagh areas.
Chief Superintendent Farrar explained: “When considering the changes to station enquiry opening hours, we looked at demand and peak use to ensure the impact on the public is kept to a minimum. We have had to make some very difficult decisions around this but we are content the opening hours will meet local demand. It is also important the public is reassured that a reduction in enquiry office opening hours does not mean a reduction in our service.
“Policing remains a 24-hours, seven days a week operation and we will continue to help anyone in an emergency situation. Police activities within stations will continue as normal and we can be contacted 24-hours a day on either 101 or 999 in the case of an emergency.”
Confirming the changes, Chief Superintendent Farrar added: “From Monday 1 December, Holywood station will no longer be open to the public and Castlereagh station enquiry office will open from 12 noon to 8pm, Monday to Friday. It will be closed to the public at weekends and on Public Holidays.
“We will then be phasing in a change to the opening hours of station enquiry offices at other stations as follows: Bangor station enquiry office will be open from 9am to 9pm, seven days a week. Newtownards station enquiry office will be open from 12 noon to 8pm Monday to Friday. It will be closed to the public at weekends and on Public Holidays.
“Portaferry station will no longer be open to the public.
“Downpatrick station enquiry office will be open from 12 noon to 8pm, Monday to Friday and 10am to 6pm on Saturday and Sunday and Newcastle station enquiry office will open 12 noon to 8pm Monday to Friday only. The enquiry offices at both stations will be closed on Public Holidays.”
Reassuring the public of the PSNI’s continued commitment to delivering a service to the people within C District, Chief Superintendent Farrar added: “The change to the station enquiry office opening hours is not a change to the level of service or engagement we have with the local community. The public are increasingly engaging with the police in different ways – from online reporting of non-emergency and hate crime, to interacting with local police on our local Facebook pages and Twitter feeds, to contacting local neighbourhood policing teams directly as their contact details are available from the PSNI website.
“Fewer people are visiting or using police stations and officers within this District are now engaging with their local communities in a variety of ways. We hold regular Coffee with a Cop events in all areas – details of which can be found on our Facebook pages. We also hold surgeries in other locations and local residents are encouraged to come along to these events to raise any issues or queries.
“The reality is that nearly all policing services are delivered outside of stations. Policing isn’t about buildings it is about officers working with the community in the community.
“Policing is changing but our policing purpose remains the same – keeping people safe is still our main priority and we will continue to do this by preventing harm, protecting the vulnerable and detecting offenders.”
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New Station Enquiry Office Opening Hours for C District
From December 1st:
Holywood station will not be open to public however local residents can avail of services at police stations in the surrounding area.
Castlereagh station enquiry office will be open from 12 noon to 8pm, Monday to Friday. It will be closed to the public at weekends and on Public Holidays. Changes to be implemented on a phased approach over the coming weeks and months:
Newtownards station enquiry office will be open from 12 noon to 8pm, Monday to Friday. It will be closed to the public at weekends and on Public Holidays.
Portaferry station will not be open to the public.
Downpatrick station enquiry office will be open from 12 noon to 8pm, Monday to Friday and 10am to 6pm on Saturday and Sunday. It will be closed to the public on Public Holidays.
Newcastle station enquiry office will open 12 noon to 8pm Monday to Friday only. It will be closed to the public at weekends and on Public Holidays.
The exact dates for the change in station enquiry office opening hours for each station will be confirmed in due course.
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