Sinn Fein has taken part in its first District Policing Partnership meeting in Limavady.

Party member Cathal OhOisin said many people’s experience of policing in the borough has been negative in the past.

“Policing with the community needs to be the core function of any civic policing service and it has been shown that actively engaged communities contribute significantly to the improvement of policing services, the reduction of anti-social behaviour and the solving of crimes at all levels,” he said.

“There is a genuine and real feeling among some communities that that the PSNI have neither the commitment nor willingness to deal with anti-social violence and criminality in the local area. There is a sense of abandonment by and indifference on the part of the PSNI.”

Councillor OhOisin added his party now intends to hold the PSNI to account.

“Sinn Féin will use their membership of the partnerships  to critically engage with the PSNI in a professional, efficient and constructive manner. That we are taking up positions on these partnerships is clearly significant. There are big challenges for us as we seek to deliver the mandate we have been given, but as with our approach to any issue we will be resolute and we will be determined.

“The prize of a truly accountable and representative policing service which serves the entire community is we believe achievable and our contribution to the Limavady District Policing Partnership will be key to this.”