DUP attacks SDLP police plan

Some rural stations have been under threat

The SDLP's proposal to close 18 police stations across Northern Ireland is a "desperate" attempt to keep votes from Sinn Fein in an assembly election, the DUP has said.

DUP assembly member Ian Paisley Junior said any such move would be an act of folly.

It is understood that at a meeting with the chief constable last Monday, SDLP leader Mark Durkan and Policing Board member Alex Attwood asked for a new security assessment to reflect a more peaceful Northern Ireland.

There can be no rationale for the closure of police stations when several months ago the board voted to retain 20 police stations

Ian Paisley Junior
DUP MLA

They also made Hugh Orde aware of their plans to publicly call for the closure of 18 police stations and for that to happen quickly.

Mr Paisley, who also sits on the Policing Board, said the SDLP was attempting to take a "greener position" than Sinn Fein on policing policy.

"At a time of rising crime and disorder combined with a lack of police manpower to deal effectively with the situation, such statements from Mark Durkan and Alex Attwood only reinforce the view that the SDLP is using policing for narrow party political purposes.

"There can be no rationale for the closure of police stations when several months ago the board voted to retain 20 police stations across the province," he added.

At Monday's meeting, the SDLP delegation asked the chief constable for a new security assessment and to enable further moves on demilitarisation.

However, Mr Attwood said the community should not be concerned.

"The community's needs for proper policing can be better and best served by other means," he said.

"Now is an appropriate time to demonstrate to the people that they can have a better police service and better policing without necessarily having as many police stations as we have had historically."

'Safety of the public'

Earlier, it emerged that at a Downing Street meeting on 6 January the prime minister met both the chief constable and the outgoing Army GOC, Lieut Gen Sir Alistair Irwin.

The community's needs for proper policing can be better and best served by other means

Alex Attwood
SDLP MLA

Since then, proposals to dismantle and remove Army watch-towers in border areas - including south Armagh - have been drawn up.

Sources suggest the Sinn Fein leadership is now aware of the plan - but its implementation depends on what the IRA is prepared to offer.

However, the UUP's Alan McFarland said closing down stations was an operational matter for the chief constable.

He said if the SDLP was trying to out do Sinn Fein, then they were playing fast and loose with the safety of the public.

"Either the SDLP have found put what stations are going to be closed and are trying to steal a march on Sinn Fein by making this demand - knowing that it will be fulfilled," he said.

"The only other explanation is that such is the rush to 'out-Sinn' Sinn Fein that they are demanding closures against the advice of the chief constable."