“WE don’t want Fermanagh to become a criminal’s paradise,” is the warning to the PSNI after cuts to the service were announced recently.
Chief Constable Simon Byrne highlighted a funding shortfall of £80million that has led to the drastic measures being taken that will have an impact on communities across Fermanagh and the North.
Fermanagh and South Tyrone MLA, Tom Elliott, stated that the cuts will hit the County where our local police force have been trying to police the streets with resources already lacking.
And Elliott warned that if and when the cuts come into place, there will only be one group in Fermanagh society who will benefit – the criminals themselves.
He said: “Those involved with crime will be the only ones pleased about this. The cuts will has a drastic effect on those serving in the police and the criminals will be the ones benefiting.
“We don’t want Fermanagh to become a criminal’s paradise.
“The police service in Fermanagh is already struggling to keep a presence on the ground as the force is not up to the (officer) numbers it should have.
“There is currently no custody suite in Enniskillen which means those arrested are held elsewhere in Dungannon or Omagh which takes crew off the ground.
“So with the cuts that have been announced, you start to question how functional the police can be.
“The police in Fermanagh have been doing some good work such as their road patrols to catch those driving under the influence of drink or drugs and also their community work as well.
“Going into schools to hold workshops on how gaming could lead to gambling has been very important work.
“Of course the danger of these cuts is that for any serving officers or those thinking about joining the police, they might be looking to apply to posts in England or Scotland or even down south in the Republic.”
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