The PCSP Community Safety Warden van will become a familiar sight as towns throughout Fermanagh are patrolled RMG96
WITH serious concerns over the police staffing levels in Fermanagh it can be revealed that private security staff are now patrolling anti-social hot spots in the county.
In lieu of a police presence in areas of Enniskillen, Irvinestown and Lisnaskea Community Safety Wardens, employed by local firm Samdec are now acting as a security presence, despite having no special powers of arrest or carrying defensive weaponry of any kind.
The wardens carry out high visibility patrols on foot and in a liveried vehicle in previously identified ‘hot spots’ for low-level crime and anti-social behaviour in a role that previously was carried out by our local police officers.
Local MP Tom Elliott said the decison to use private security personnel to carry out patrols – a function previously carried out by the PSNI – highlighted a worrying gap in policing. He warned that the use of wardens to carry out police roles could cause problems.
Due to cuts over the last number of years the police presence in rural Fermanagh has reduced significantly and Kathleen Breen secretary of the Carrowshee Park/Sylvan Hill Community Association explained that her area was once served by police. It is now one of the areas patrolled by the wardens. “We don’t see police anym ore and the people feel abandoned. It’s just the whole system, they’ve taken away the community police. We had a police officer who was known to everybody here and he’s now office based.”
She continued: “I think for older people he was very important, because he was known to everybody and you could approach him about anything. We’d like to think these other fellas when they get known they can replace him to a certain extent, but there’s only so much they can do as they don’t have any real powers.
“In saying that whenever my kids were growing up it would have been nicer having someone like that come to you and tell you that so and so has been up to badness, rather than the police in their uniforms and hats, it’s quite severe.”
Local MP Tom Elliott said the implementation of the community wardens highlighted a gap in the local service.
“It highlights that gap that there is within the rural policing team. Unfortunately the funding can’t cover Fermanagh. It’s something we have been highlighting for years, it’s not recent. Rural policing aren’t getting the numbers urban policing are. Before I left the Justice committee that was one of the questions I asked the Chief Constable and he openly said that the number of rural policing in real terms would go down, whereas those in urban areas would probably go up.”
Mr Elliott said that once you start dealing with any form of anti-social behaviour “it can be difficult for people who are not fully fledged police”. The local representative also expressed concerns over cost. “I don’t know what it’s costing the rate payers, but they’re already paying for police and it’s unfortunate if they have to pay twice.”
Local DUP councillor David Mahon said there remained concerns over the lack of police presence in the county, but welcomed any assistance.
“Anything that helps is good, but I suppose it’s hard to beat the police man. Even them doing this is maybe acceptance that the police service isn’t up to scratch. I would still have concerns regarding the lack of police presence. If you’re trying to get the police for something, whether it’s a break-in, vandalism, it’s very difficult to get them.”
PSNI Inspector Roy Robinson confirmed that the community safety wardens have no powers of arrest different to that of a member of the public and they carry no weapons.
“It’s another set of eyes and ears to offer that reassurance to the public and alert us to things that are taking place as we can’t have CCTV everywhere.”
Mr Robinson said that the roles being carried out by the private security staff were previously carried out by police.
Chair of Fermanagh and Omagh PCSP, Cllr Sorcha McAnespy, added:
“Community Safety Wardens will form an important link between residents, businesses and a number of statutory agencies, improving access to various support and advice services to help reduce low-level crime and anti-social behaviour.”
The Community Safety Warden programme being delivered by the Fermanagh and Omagh Policing and Community Safety Partnership (PCSP) and jointly funded with the Housing Executive began in October and is running until April initially. As part of the community safety initiative, two Community Safety Wardens will be on duty at any one time in areas including Carrowshee Park in Lisnaskea, Sallys Wood in Irvinestown and Coleshill in Enniskillen. The programme is a follow on from a successful eight week pilot programme which was implemented by the former Fermanagh PCSP in 2014.
Community Safety Wardens, who work 40 hours per week can be contacted about issues such as low-level anti-social behaviour, criminal damage, dog fouling and littering. The Community Safety Wardens, who are employed by local security company Samdec, work 40 hours per week. They are visible, on foot and in a liveried vehicle in the Enniskillen, Irvinestown and Lisnaskea areas and can also be contacted on 07921 854 425.
To read more.. Subscribe to current edition
Receive quality journalism wherever you are, on any device. Keep up to date from the comfort of your own home with a digital subscription.
Any time | Any place | Anywhere