2008 Press Releases

These pages contain pertinent recent media releases from the DPP during 2008.

Christmas Campaign 2008

This year Limavady DPP focused their Christmas Campaign on Domestic Violence. Displays were posted on buses in the Limavady area during the month of December.

Themed Meeting on Alcohol and Drug Related Violent Crime

Limavady DPP held their themed meeting on the subject of Alcohol and Drug Related Violent Crime on Wednesday 10th December 2008 in the Drummond Hotel, Ballkelly at 9.30 am. It was a very successful meeting with representatives from PSNI, N.I. Fire Authority, Limavady Borough Council, Hands That Talk, Churches, Roe Valley Womens Network, Coolessan Community Association, Glens Community Association, Limavady Youth Office, Foyle Womens Aid and the Youth Justice Agency and Licensees attending. Several initiatives were proposed in order to tackle this issue and these will be assessed in the coming months.

1st December 2008

CLOSE IT, LOCK IT, CHECK IT

CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED TO PROTECT YOUR HOME

Close it, Lock it, Check it. These three simple steps will help protect homes and prevent burglary this Christmas, according to a major television and radio campaign appearing for the first time this month.

Developed by the Police Service of Northern Ireland, the Northern Ireland Office and the Northern Ireland Policing Board, it is the largest ever awareness raising advertising campaign targeting domestic burglary seen in Northern Ireland for 10 years.

Speaking regarding the campaign, Ailish McAtamney, from the Community Safety Partnership said that “this is a pioneering campaign which aims to target theft from the home and compliments the How Secure Is My Home project. This helps heighten awareness to security measures within your homes and businesses, making the local community more vigilant towards combating crime within their local area”

Offering advice at the event, PSNI Crime Prevention Officer, Derek Ewing said: “Domestic burglary is a key priority for the area with figures in Limavady where the instances of this type of crime is on the increase. We are committed to robustly tackling an issue, which strikes at the very heart of our community and is one of the crimes we know people fear the most.”

“However, our campaign identifies some very simple steps householders can take which can help defeat a burglar. Simply close your doors and windows, lock your doors and windows and check your home security before leaving the house, or going to bed at night.“

“By taking these steps, you have already created a huge deterrent to an opportunistic thief. If you would like further information on securing your home, I am contactable on 0845 600 8000 and the information and advice I provide is free. Together, we will make life difficult for burglars and create a safer Northern Ireland for everyone. “

Cllr Michael Coyle, Chair of Limavady District Policing Partnership, added:

“By taking a few simple steps each day and night householders can protect their homes from thieves. We know from what the community tell us, particularly those who are vulnerable, that there is a fear of burglary out there. The police response to tackling this crime has been a priority for the DPP. But the police response is just one part of dealing with this crime and we all have a responsibility to minimise the opportunity for burglars”

The television advertisement depicts a normal street viewed from the perception of a potential burglar. Most houses have been closed, locked and alarms have been check, indicated via a glowing lock on each property. However, one resident has not closed and locked their doors and windows and checked their home is secure. This exception is soon clear to the burglar and the house is now under threat.

Alongside the television advertisements, the campaign can also be heard on commercial radio stations across Northern Ireland and on billboards placed in hotspot areas, where burglaries are more prevalent and with major retailers.

Finally, specialised leaflets containing useful tips and advice on protecting your house through the Close It, Lock it, Check it campaign this Christmas will be available from the PSNI or the DPP on request.

The Close it, Lock it, Check it campaign is set to continue throughout the first three months of 2009, when domestic burglaries are traditionally at their highest.

Notes to Editors

The Close it, Lock it, Check it campaign is a joint initiative between the Crime Prevention Unit of the PSNI, the Community Safety Unit of the NIO and the NI Policing Board.

To check how secure your home is, go to www.howsecureismyhome.com

Local contact details

Post: FREEPOST Limavady DPP

Email: dpp@limavady.gov.uk

Recording Facilities: 028 777 60314

Web: www.districtpolicing.com/limavady

For further information contact: Angela Martin, DPP Manager, 028 777 60314.

1st December 2008

DPP Encourage Pedestrians to “Be Safe, Be Seen”

Limavady DPP has launched a campaign encouraging pedestrians to make sure that they make themselves visible to all traffic when out walking and running. The initiative, which was launched on 1st December, is focusing on those pedestrians who are out walking regularly, especially along country roads, to ensure that they are wearing high visibility vests at all times. The DPP have some high visibility vests for distribution.

Speaking at the launch of the campaign. Inspector Steven Haslett, Roads Policing commented “It is very important that all road users use common sense to ensure that they are as safe as possible. I would encourage all walkers, runners and cyclists to wear high visibility clothing, especially in the dark winter evenings. We want all road users to exercise caution when on the road and avoid any further loss of life”

The DPP intend to distribute the vests through slimming clubs, walking clubs, cycling clubs and community groups over the next few weeks. Commenting on the initiative, Cllr Michael Coyle, Chair of Limavady District Policing Partnership said “Unfortunately road deaths and road safety is never far from the headlines. We have concentrated a lot on young drivers over the past number of years through various projects and we felt it was time to encourage other road users to play their part in making the roads safer. As a driver myself, I know how difficult it can be to see pedestrians walking at the side of the road, even if they are wearing light coloured clothing. We feel that this initiative will assist motorists in identifying pedestrians or cyclists and allow them to exercise due caution as a result. It will also afford pedestrians and cyclists the comfort of knowing that they are visible to traffic from long distance and feel safer as a result. We hope that the offer of a free high visibility vest will be taken up by as many pedestrians as possible in order to combat further accidents on the roads”

Commenting on the number of deaths on the roads to date, Cllr Coyle continued “the recent tragic accident in Fermanagh last week highlights and illustrates the need for all road users to ensure that they are visible to motorists at all times. 100 people have been killed on the roads to date this year, any initiative like this one which can impact on this is to be welcomed and embraced by the whole community”

Should you wish to obtain a high visibility vest, please contact the DPP office on 777 60314.

The DPP can be contacted on 77760314.

For further information contact: Angela Martin, 028 777 60314

Distributing vests to Roe Valley Ramblers

27th November 2008

DPP and PSNI holding workshop to look at Violent Crime

Limavady District Policing Partnership will hold its next meeting in Public on Wednesday 10th of December 2008 at 9:30am in the Drummond Hotel, Ballykelly. This public meeting will be a themed meeting looking at the issue of alcohol and drug related violent crime in the town centres of the Borough each weekend. This event has been jointly organized with the PSNI and the Community Safety Partnership.

It will consist of a workshop to look at violent crime and input from all sectors of the business community and statutory agencies to assess what can be done to contain this type of crime. Violent crime has been on the increase in the Limavady Borough since 2002 and is now disproportionately high in relation to the rest of the North West area.

The focus of the day will be to make people aware of the seriousness of the problem and the fact the PSNI resources are being deployed to deal with this issue on a weekly basis. With further budget cuts each year, the PSNI will be unable to provide the current Policing levels in the long term, it is therefore imperative that a long term, multi agency, sustainable solution is found to this very serious problem.

Any member of the public with an interest in solving this problem is welcome to attend on the day or should you require any further information on the event, please call the DPP office on 777 60314 or the PSNI on 0845 600 8000.

Post: FREEPOST Limavady DPP

Email: dpp@limavady.gov.uk

Recording Facilities: 028 777 60314

Web: www.districtpolicing.com/limavady

For further information contact: Angela Martin, DPP Manager, 028 777 60314.

Limavady DPP Meet With Neighbourhood Policing Teams

Limavady District Policing Partnership held a meeting to monitor the work of the Neighbourhood Policing Teams on Thursday 6th November 2008 at 4 pm in L.C.D.I. Roe Valley Hospital, 24d Benevenagh Drive, Limavady. Both the Rural and Urban Neighbourhood Policing Teams were present at the meeting. The meeting was very successful with a number of important issues being discussed.

3rd November 2008

DPP Take Meeting in Public to LCDI

Limavady District Policing Partnership will hold its next meeting in public on Wednesday 12th November 2008 in L.C.D.I., Roe Valley Hospital, 24d Benevenagh Drive, Limavady commencing 19.00 hours. At the meeting, the Area Commander, Chief Inspector Stephen Cargin will present an overview of the crime picture within the Borough for the months of April – September 2008. Members of the DPP will raise questions/issues with the Acting Area Commander about this report and monitor PSNI performance over the past 6 months.

All members of the public are welcome to attend to raise any issues which affect them and the quality of their life. The meeting will be interactive and will provide the opportunity to interact with the PSNI in an informal setting. It is very important that the PSNI are aware of the issues affecting the lives of the citizens of the Borough and this meeting is the perfect avenue to illustrate this.

Members of the public can submit written questions in advance of the meeting, or they can ask a member of the DPP to raise a question/issue on their behalf. There will also be an opportunity for questions to be raised by those attending.

All correspondence, requests for information or questions for submission to the police Area Commander through the District Policing Partnership, should be sent to:

Post: FREEPOST Limavady DPP

Email: dpp@limavady.gov.uk

Telephone: 028 777 60314

Web: www.districtpolicing.com/limavady

For further information contact: Angela Martin on 028 777 60314.

28th September 2008

Neighbourhood Policing Team Meet the Rural Community

Limavady DPP facilitated the introduction of the new Neighbourhood Policing Team to the rural community. The event took place on Sunday 28th September 2008 at Lilac Avenue, Aghanloo and was very well attended.

28th August 2008

DPP survey highlights local policing concerns

Limavady District Policing Partnership (DPP) has published the results of the latest DPP Public Consultation Survey, which will be used by the DPP and PSNI to help shape the future policing priorities in the Limavady Borough.

The survey, which was sent to 1,191 households in the Limavady Borough Council area, asked people to prioritise the policing issues about which they are most concerned, and to select the policing priorities that they would like to see the police in Limavady District concentrate most resources on.

Speaking about the survey’s findings, Chair of Limavady DPP, Cllr Michael Coyle said:

“I would like to thank everyone who took the time to complete and return the survey. This questionnaire, along with the other consultation and engagement work carried out by the DPP throughout the year, provides us with vital information on what local people want from the Police Service and how satisfied they are with the service they receive. The results help us, along with Area Commander Chief Inspector Stevie Cargin to formulate the policing priorities for the Limavady District in the Local Policing Plan.”

“Across the district, respondents highlighted Drug Dealing (28%), Young people causing a nuisance (11%), Domestic burglary (9%), Dangerous/Careless driving (7%), Drug use/abuse (7%), Speeding (7%) and Underage Drinking (6%) as the biggest policing problems in the Limavady District”

“At the same time, the results show that the public feel local Police should be concentrating most resources on Beat/foot patrolling (33%), Crime prevention (18%), Enforcing drug laws (18%) and Prompt response to emergencies (14%). The number of respondents who had heard of the DPP had risen from 72% in 2006 to 85% and those that were willing to contact the local DPP in response to policing issues has risen from 41% in 2006 to 57%. The percentage of respondents who were satisfied with the policing of the District fell from 31% in 2006 to 27%, the DPP will work with the Area Commander to ascertain why they feel this is the case and seek improvement”

“Through the DPP, the community has a real voice on policing in Limavady. The DPP is about allowing local people to shape local policing and, by completing this questionnaire, members of the public have ensured that their views will be considered by the DPP and PSNI as we plan how the district will be policed.”

“If you would like to find out more about the survey findings, you can contact Limavady DPP. If you would like to submit a question to the DPP relating to the survey findings, please contact Angela Martin DPP Manager on 777 60314 or email dpp@limavady.gov.uk

Limavady DPP undertakes a wide range of community consultation and engagement work and has consistently worked on behalf of the community in dealing with local policing issues and problem. I would urge any member of the community who has a concern or issue to come along and talk to us - we arehere, ready and willing to listen to you."

For more information please contact Angela Martin DPP Manager on 777 60314

22^nd August 2008

Limavady DPP urge businesses to be on lookout for Counterfeit Notes

Limavady DPP has issued a warning to businesses in the Borough to be vigilant in checking notes as counterfeit notes have been discovered recently in the Limavady town area. The notes are of such a good quality that it is difficult to determine that they are counterfeit without the detection pens or other detection equipment. Chair of Limavady DPP commented “It has come to our attention that some counterfeit notes have been discovered in the Limavady town area during the past week. This type of crime surges periodically but business owners should remain vigilant at all times in terms of checking all notes. Limavady DPP have some counterfeit currency detection pens, any business who does not have them, please contact the DPP office on 777 60314, where we will be happy to supply them”

The DPP are reminding the public that it is a criminal offence to try to pass or keep a banknote that you either know or suspect to be counterfeit. Councillor Coyle continued “If you inadvertently receive a note that you believe to be counterfeit, you should take it to the nearest police station as quickly as possible. The counterfeit bank note should not be returned to the person passing it. A description of the person passing the suspect currency should also be noted and your local police contacted. Alternatively, members of the public can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111”.

WATERMARKS

Guide to watermarks for each bank:

First Trust Bank – Portrait of a youth

Bank of Ireland – Medusa head

Ulster Bank – The words ‘Ulster Bank Limited’

Northern Bank – portrait

Bank of England – Portrait of The Queen with subtle gradations of light and shade

The Northern Ireland Bankers’ Association has produced a leaflet entitled “Know your Banknotes”, for the purpose of making the public aware of features, which distinguish a genuine banknote from a counterfeit. These leaflets are available on request from all Banks.

The DPP can be contacted on 77760314.

For further information contact: Angela Martin, 028 777 60314.

4^th August 2008

Meeting in Public

Limavady District Policing Partnership will hold its next meeting in public on Wednesday 27^th August 2008 in Limavady Borough Council Offices, commencing 16.00 hours. At the meeting, the Area Commander, Inspector Clive Spence will present an overview of the crime picture within the borough for the months of April – June 2008. Members of the DPP will raise questions/issues with the Acting Area Commander about this report.

The DPP welcomes attendance from persons of different religious belief, political opinion, racial group, age, marital status or sexual orientation

Of men and women generally
Of persons with a disability and persons without
Of persons with dependents and persons without

All correspondence, requests for information or questions for submission to the police Area Commander through the District Policing Partnership, should be sent to:

Post: FREEPOST Limavady DPP

Email: dpp@limavady.gov.uk

Telephone: 028 777 60314

Web: www.districtpolicing.com/limavady

For further information contact: Angela Martin on 028 777 60314.

10^th July 2008

DPP condemn continued arson attacks in Limavady

Limavady DPP has condemned the most recent arson attack in Limavady. The incident took place in the Coolessan area of the town and could have been very serious had the residents not discovered the blaze and acted very quickly. Cllr Michael Coyle, Chairman of Limavady DPP commented “These ongoing arson attacks in Limavady are a cause for great concern. These crimes affect all the residents of the Borough and need to be curtailed immediately before there is serious injury or loss of life. We realise that a lot of people are living in fear of attack and we will do anything we can to alleviate their concerns. I would again encourage anyone with any information on these crimes to pass it on to the PSNI”.

The DPP can be contacted on 77760314.

for further information contact: Angela Martin, 028 777 60314.

1 July 2008

Limavady DPP encourages community support for ‘underage drinking’ initiative

Members of Limavady DPP urged community support for a PSNI initiative to help deal with the issue of underage drinking and anti social behaviour.

The PSNI led enforcement campaign will take place over a series of weekends across the Limavady, Foyle, Strabane and Magherafelt district and is designed to stop underage drinking and help reduce associated anti social behaviour.

Chair of Limavady DPP, Cllr Michael Coyle said:

“Since its establishment, Limavady DPP has been working to make the community safer for all the people of this district through monitoring local police performance and ensuring the delivery of a policing service which meets community needs.

In the last Limavady DPP survey, 43% of local people raised the issue of underage drinking as an issue. This is clearly of concern to the community and is an issue that we need to work together on; and more particularly in relation the impact for local people in terms of anti social behaviour, vandalism and criminal damage.

These issues are regularly raised with us through our meetings with local residents and the DPP have taken the lead on this by having frequent meetings with the vintners of the Borough and other educational initiatives aimed at young people.

A recently published report from the Chief Medical Officer showed that the average age young people start drinking is 11 years old and that 2% of young people drink every day. The figures are shocking, the effect that is has on the health of young people who drink is harmful and the anti-social behaviour that often arises destructive. This is a problem which we all have a part to play in tackling – whether that be through policing, through education, or through promoting greater social and parental responsibility.

The DPP is fully supportive of this police initiative and calls on local people to support the police. The DPP hopes that the initiative will send a clear message to young people who drink on our streets and those may be buying the alcohol for them that it is not acceptable/won’t be tolerated

Limavady Custom Cruisers Car Club

Limavady Custom Cruisers has developed into a motor club which meets monthly. They unveiled the Ford Mondeo ST 220 which was donated by PSNI Transport Services and modified by the members of the club at a club meeting in North West Regional College on 3rd July 2008.The motor club aims to work with those most at risk of being seriously injured or killed in a Road Traffic Collision. Rosemary Savage, Vice-Chair of Limavady District Policing Partnership commented: "I am delighted that the DPP are continuing to work with other partners to try and impact upon road traffic incidents involving young and inexperienced drivers. Last year's RSylv project was incredible and I was proud to be part of the team that raised £26,000 for Musgrave Park Brain and Spinal Injuries Units, but it was important that our connection with young drivers wasn't wasted. The formation of Limavady Custom Cruisers as a car club means that we can continue to engage with more young road users and to use our combined resources to get the "Doing it Safely" message across in a very enjoyable and productive manner."

Limavady Agricultural Show

Limavady DPP once again hosted a stand at Limavady Agricultural Show on 28 June 2008. Members took the opportunity to liaise with residents from the rural areas of the Borough on policing issues affecting them. Members also distributed information leaflets on the DPP along with promotional material including property marking kits and calendar cards.

20 June 2008

DPP Publish Findings of Consultation with Business Community

Limavady District recently commissioned independent consultants to undertake a consultation exercise with a range of Businesses throughout the Borough of Limavady. Twenty six businesses from all around the Borough participated in the consultation exercise to ascertain the satisfaction of the Business community with the PSNI. During the course of the consultation, feedback was obtained from individual business owners/managers and Roe Valley Chamber of Trade and Commerce. Cllr Michael Coyle, Chair of Limavady DPP commented “in commissioning this consultation exercise, it was very important to ascertain the views of the Businesses from all parts of the Borough. Businesses from the smaller towns and rural areas may have very different views on Policing and Policing Issues to those based in the town of Limavady. To this end, the DPP are happy with the geographical spread and diversity of the businesses surveyed.”

The consultation focused on several key areas in relation to Policing such as Views on how the PSNI are serving the Business community of the Borough, visibility of Policing throughout the Borough, recent or current Policing issues, differences between the Policing in urban and rural areas of the Borough, expectations when dealing with the PSNI and experiences in dealing with the PSNI in relation to their Businesses. The results were generally quite positive in relation to the Policing of the Borough with some criticisms on handling of cases. Cllr Coyle continued “consultation is a primary function of the DPP and when commissioning a consultation exercise, you never know the feedback that you will get. In this instance, the DPP are happy with the results of the consultation with the businesses community. There were of course a few issues highlighted in relation to policing which will be brought up with the PSNI by the DPP. “

In terms of the Businesses surveyed, they were satisfied with how the PSNI are serving the Business community of the Borough. The Businesses did respond that there is less visibility of the PSNI in the rural areas but generally agreed that this is in line with frequency of crimes in the rural areas. It was also agreed that you are more likely to see the PSNI in cars rather than on foot in the rural areas.

The current Policing issues identified by the Businesses are antisocial behaviour, underage drinking, drugs and vandalism and criminal damage. In terms of desired responses to these identified issues the Businesses indicated that they would like more visible policing and more officers ‘out and about’, firmer responses from the PSNI when incidents do occur and faster Police response times. The consultation with the Businesses also revealed that respondents felt that Policing issues in the rural areas are less likely and retail business are more vulnerable to certain crimes because of their location.

One dominant criticism of the PSNI is the lack of feedback when crime has occurred. Cllr Coyle continued “this is one area that the PSNI are weak on and we have been highlighting this to them on a regular basis. Overall this consultation is mainly positive but the PSNI must address the issues highlighted in order to further strengthen the image of the PSNI amongst the Business and all communities.”

Chief Inspector Clive Spence, Area Commander of Limavady DCU commented on the findings "having read the results contained within the Consultation Document, I am pleased that it would appear the majority of businesses who took part thought that they were being provided with a high standard of policing by local officers. I understand that it is impossible to please everyone, but am glad to see that the recent increase in high-visibility policing has been noticed within the Borough.

Whilst acknowledging that the vast majority of the points raised are positive ones, I have also noted that there are still some areas where the public expect more from us as a service. The number of officers on patrol is always an issue which attracts attention from both the press and public alike, and what I must say is that, whilst I have only a certain number of officers to patrol the Limavady area, and am strictly controlled by budgetary restrictions, analysis of crime trends and patterns gives me the tools required to ensure that we have the maximum number of officers on duty at our busiest times.

Another area where comment was perhaps not so favourable is the updating of those who have unfortunately been victims of crime. Issues such as these are ones which we are striving to improve our performance in, and as such, I am grateful for the views of what would appear to have been a good cross-section of the local business community. Forming, and indeed strengthening existing links with the business community within the wider Limavady area is something which we have been working closely on in recent times, and I am sure that by working together in partnership we can continue to impact upon the problems and issues which affect us all."

Drugs Training for Vintners

Limavady DPP organised Drugs Training for Vintners of the borough on 17th June 2008 in Limavady Borough Council Offices. The training was delivered the Drugs Education Officer with the PSNI. Rachel McGrory, Outreach Worker and Dessie Kyle, Centre Manager from HURT were also present at the training to make bar owners aware of the services they are providing. They are now also in Limavady at LCDI on a Wednesday from 9.30 am - 1.30 pm.

Youth Diversion Project

Limavady DPP carried out a survey around the youth clubs in the Limavady area to find out what type of project would interest the young people. A Health and Beauty Course for girls came out on top and two classes were organised in conjunction with North West Regional College on a Monday evening for 4 weeks each. The DPP also incorporated information on personal safety into the course which was delivered by a PSNI officer.

22^nd April 2008

Meeting in Public

Limavady District Policing Partnership will hold its next meeting in public on Wednesday 14^th May 2008 in Limavady Borough Council Offices, commencing 16.00 hours. At the meeting, the Acting Area Commander, Inspector Clive Spence will present his annual report relating to the crime statistics within the borough for the months of April 2007 – March 2008. Members of the DPP will raise questions/issues with the Acting Area Commander about this report.

The DPP welcomes attendance from persons of different religious belief, political opinion, racial group, age, marital status or sexual orientation

Of men and women generally
Of persons with a disability and persons without
Of persons with dependents and persons without

All correspondence, requests for information or questions for submission to the police Acting Area Commander through the District Policing Partnership, should be sent to:

Post: FREEPOST Limavady DPP

Email: dpp@limavady.gov.uk

Telephone: 028 777 60314

Web: www.districtpolicing.com/limavady

For further information contact: Angela Martin on 028 777 60314.

18^th March 2008

News Release

Cllr Michael Coyle, Chairman of Limavady District Policing Partnership has again called on the community to support the PSNI in their efforts to apprehend those responsible for the spate of arson attacks in Limavady in recent weeks. He commented “The continuation of these arson attacks in Limavady is of great concern to the DPP and the community in general. Thankfully no-one has been killed yet but should this continue, the consequences could be grave. It is very important that the Police are given every assistance in this case. This means the whole community co-operating and working with the investigating officers and reporting any suspicious activity”

The DPP are stressing the importance of reporting any information in relation to these crimes either to the Police directly, to the DPP or by using the crimestoppers confidential telephone service on 0800 555 111. Cllr Coyle continued “This type of crime needs to be curtailed immediately and I would encourage everyone in the Borough to be especially vigilant and to “Hear the unusual, See the suspicious and Report and Action it with the police.”

The winners of the Road Safety Competition organised by Limavady DPP and Roads Policing at the North Coast Customs Cruise Event in Tescos Car Park, Limavady on 24th February 2008 were Carla O'Kane (First Prize) and Joe Duddy (Second Prize).

Limavady Road Safety Poster Competition

Limavady DPP sponsored the Limavady Road Safety Poster Competition Prize Night which was held on 29th February 2008 in Roe Valley Recreation Centre at 7.30 pm. The DPP hosted a stand and took the opportunity to carry out public consultation. They also gave out personal alarms and property marking pens. Michael Coyle, Chair of Limavady DPP presented prizes to the P2 prizewinners.

18^th February 2008

Cllr Michael Coyle, Chairman of Limavady District Policing Partnership stated his shock and disappointment at the news of the suspected arson attack on a home in the Woodland Walk area of Limavady. The oil tank at the house was set alight and this in turn spread to neighboring houses. He commented “Coming so soon after the arson attack on Bethany Hall on Irish Green Street it is of great concern that this is may be a concerted crime trend. Thankfully no-one has been killed yet. It is very important that the Police are given every assistance in this case. This means the whole community co-operating and working with the investigating officers and reporting any suspicious activity. The DPP would also like to see the Police holding meetings with the local community to try to reduce crime in the area. There have been a spate of oil thefts in the Limavady town area recently, and reports of wheelie bins being set on fire which may or may not be linked to this.”

The DPP are stressing the importance of reporting any information in relation to this crime either to the Police directly, to the DPP or by using the crimestoppers confidential telephone service on 0800 555 111. Cllr Coyle continued “this type of crime needs to be curtailed immediately and I would encourage everyone in the Borough to be especially vigilant and to “Hear the unusual, See the suspicious and Report and Action it with the police.”

Notes for the Editor

District Policing Partnerships

DPPs were set up by the Policing Board in conjunction with local councils, on 4 March 2003 under the auspices of the Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2000. Made up of Elected Members (local councillors) and Independent Members (members of the public) to reflect the community the DPP serves, the Partnership works to give voice to community views on policing, contribute to the formulation of policing plans, monitor local police performance and co-operate in preventing crime across Northern Ireland.

Contact Details

The local police can be contacted on 777 66797 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

The DPP Manager – Angela Martin can be contacted at the Limavady District Policing Partnership Office on 028 777 60314.

11th February 2008

NEWS RELEASE

Local Policing: We need to know what you think - Limavady DPP

The Chair of Limavady District Policing Partnership (DPP), Councillor Michael Coyle, has urged everyone who receives the latest DPP Public Consultation Survey to complete and return it by 29 February.

“Over the next few days the survey will drop through the letter boxes of 1 in 10 households in the Limavady Borough and is the biggest policing survey of its kind,” Councillor Coyle said.

“This survey forms an important part of our work in finding out what the community thinks about policing and what they want from the Police Service. The results, along with other consultations we carry out throughout the year, also help us to do that.

“Discussions with local groups, issues raised at our public meetings and other information all help to establish with the Area Commander local policing priorities for the Limavady Borough,” he said.

The survey is the only Northern Ireland-wide public attitude survey undertaken by the Northern Ireland Policing Board that can be broken down into the 29 DPP areas. This enables the Board to get an overall picture of what people think while at the same time, each DPP can use the local results and the answers to specific questions they have asked to gauge public attitudes in their area.

“To help ensure communities get the kind of policing they need, I really do urge everyone who receives the questionnaire to be part of the process, to fill it in and return it by the 29 February,” Councillor Coyle said.

The issues that respondents felt were of the highest priority in Limavady in the last DPP Public Consultation Survey were drug dealing, dangerous and Careless driving, domestic burglary, young people causing a nuisance and vandalism.

While the top priorities that respondents wanted to see more resources devoted were beat/foot patrolling, enforcing drugs laws, prompt response to emergencies, crime prevention and investigating crime.

As well as helping to determine local policing priorities, the results will also help the DPP establish police performance satisfaction levels which the DPP also monitors on behalf of the community.

Supporting Councillor Coyle’s call, Limavady DPP Vice Chair, Rosemary Savage said. “DPP give communities a voice on local policing and I believe the DPP has an important job to do in respect of working with the community on local policing issues. The survey is part of that and I would like to see a good response,” she said.

In response to the last survey findings and other consultation work undertaken, Limavady DPP ran a very successful Drug and Alcohol road show which educated young people on the dangers of abusing these substances. The DPP along with Limavady College, Limavady DCU and Roads Policing also ran a road safety education project. The project tackled the issue of death and serious injury on our roads and in particular incidents involving young male drivers (17-25 years old). The participants, under the guidance of tutors from Limavady College, modified a Nissan Silvia into a high-spec pro-drift car, learning along the way how to modify a car safely and legally. The PSNI provided road safety instruction. The project also attracted terrific support from the motorsports fraternity, from rally drivers and stock-car racers to pro-drifters, bikers and car modifiers to lend their knowledge and skills to get the message about road safety over to young drivers. There was regular participation of between 40 – 60 young people per week throughout the 15 weeks of the project and a number undertook RoadWise tests. The car was finally raffled with all proceeds going to the brain and spinal injuries units of Musgrave Park Hospital.

Limavady DPP will use any information gathered during this year’s survey to commission projects to tackle the issues raised.

For further information please contact Angela Martin, Limavady DPP Manager on 777 60314

Notes to Editors

1.District Policing Partnerships Public Consultation

The 71,300 households were randomly selected from the Land and Property Services Agency List of private addresses. The Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency conducts the postal survey on behalf of the Policing Board and DPPs.

2.Core Questions and DPP Specific Questions

The 23 core questions asked by the Policing Board cover attitudes to policing issues and priorities, police resourcing, satisfaction with local policing and knowledge/satisfaction with DPPs. In addition to the core survey questions, DPPs were given the opportunity to ask specific questions that will be asked only in their district.

3.District Policing Partnerships – General Background

The establishment of DPPs was one of the 175 Recommendations made by the Independent Commission on Policing for Northern Ireland. Set up by the Policing Board on 4 March 2003, in accordance with the Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2000 they were reconstituted on 3 December 2005.

The duties and responsibilities of each DPP are set out in Schedule 3 Part III of the Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2000. Their role is set out in Section 16 and is to:

Consult with the public to find out what issues in relation to policing and crime are of concern within the council district
Identify local policing priorities arising from the consultation and recommend these to the District Commander so that they can be taken into account when the Local Policing Plan is being drawn up
Monitor police performance against the objectives contained in the Local Policing Plan and the Annual Policing Plan as it relates to the district
Engage with the community to obtain the co-operation of the public with the police in preventing crime
Act as a general forum for discussion and consultation on all matters relating to the policing of the district.

For more information on DPPs log onto www.districtpolicing.com/limavady

11^th February 2008

Limavady DPP Message of the Month

Limavady District Policing Partnership is initiating a message of the month campaign. This campaign will highlight issues or concerns of the DPP and the general public through their public consultation process. In their initial message, the DPP are encouraging the public to contact them with any issues around with policing. Any member of the public can contact the DPP with issues regarding policing or come along to a meeting in Public and raise a question for the area commander of the local police. They are also highlighting the fact that in the past they have received anonymous letters concerning various issues of public concern and the DPP cannot act on this type of information.

The Chairman of Limavady DPP, Cllr Michael Coyle says “any information received by the DPP office or any member of the DPP will be treated in the strictest confidence. We have recently had a few anonymous letters passed into our office, but as we could not verify the validity of the information or the source, we were unable to act. We will be happy to discuss any issues with the Police on behalf of any member of the public”.

This call comes in the wake of the recent statement by dissident republicans issuing a warning that they are still active. Cllr Coyle continued “with the recent threats issued by dissident republicans, it is important that the public are vigilant and report any suspicious behavior to the PSNI. I condemn these threats and would again urge the public to Hear it, See it, Report it”

The DPP in Limavady can be contacted on 77760314.

For further information contact: Angela Martin, 028 777 60314.

21^st January 2008

Limavady DPP highlight anti-social behaviour issues

Limavady District Policing Partnership has again highlighted the issue of anti-social behavior in the Borough. Anti-social behavior is one of the top issues raised to the DPP through their consultations with the public. This type of activity is not confined to the urban areas of the Borough although there is a bigger concentration of incidents in the town areas. The DPP are stressing the importance of all agencies and residents working together to eradicate this type of behavior from our towns and neighborhoods.

The Chairman of Limavady DPP, Cllr Michael Coyle says “This type of behavior affects almost every town and village in the Borough. It is important that all agencies and parents work together to assist in the reduction of this type of crime. It is vital that parents play their part in knowing where their children are and what they are doing at all times. The Police can only do so much in relation to this type of crime; we all must play our part in assisting them to reduce instances of this type of activity”.

The DPP are urging anyone who is suffering from intimidation or harassment through anti-social behavior to report it to the local police or other statutory bodies. Limavady DPP will also be focusing on this topic over the next few months when they intend to run a project aimed at reducing this type of activity. The DPP can be contacted on 77760314.

For further information contact: Angela Martin, 028 777 60314.

21^st January 2008

Meeting in Public

Limavady District Policing Partnership will hold its next meeting in public on Wednesday 13^th February 2008 in Limavady Borough Council Offices, commencing 16.00 hours. At the meeting, the Acting Area Commander, Inspector Clive Spence will present an overview of the crime picture within the district for the months of April – December 2007. Members of the DPP will raise questions/issues with the Acting Area Commander about this report.

The DPP welcomes attendance from persons of different religious belief, political opinion, racial group, age, marital status or sexual orientation

Of men and women generally
Of persons with a disability and persons without
Of persons with dependents and persons without

All correspondence, requests for information or questions for submission to the police Acting Area Commander through the District Policing Partnership, should be sent to:

Post: FREEPOST Limavady DPP

Email: dpp@limavady.gov.uk

Telephone: 028 777 60314

Web: www.districtpolicing.com/limavady

For further information contact: Angela Martin on 028 777 60314.

2008 Press Releases

Contents