Could you be an Independent PCSP member

The Policing Board is responsible for appointing up to 119 people to fill independent positions on the PCSPs across Northern Ireland and the process has now commenced.

To give people an opportunity to put their questions to PCSP Members, Managers and those who support and monitor their work, the Board will be facilitating information evenings, one of which will take place this Monday, November 17 at the Lodge Hotel, Coleraine, 7pm – 9pm.

Local independent member, Roger McCallum explains more about the Partnership, and why he got involved.

Roger has been a member of Coleraine PCSP for just over two years, he believes that it has been a great opportunity for the independent members

from a wide diversity of backgrounds, to sit around a table, as equals, with elected members, PSNI and representatives of other statutory agencies, to help deliver an effective police service for everyone.

He said: “I firmly believe in the saying that, ‘the whole is greater than the sum of the parts’, and that it is by bringing all the main players in the area of policing and community safety together under the one umbrella, as is the case with the PCSP, that we create the platform to deliver a better service to the public.

“Policing is much too important to be left to the police alone. Personally I believe that our interaction with the ‘key players’ in the area of policing and community safety has served to provide a better service to the public of the area.”

Encouraging local people to get involved he added: “I would urge anyone who has a history of grass roots community involvement to seriously consider applying to become an independent member of the PCSP. And if you think, ‘Why me?’, I would urge you to think, ‘Why not me?’”

Information is also available on the Policing Board website at www.nipolicingboard.org.uk or the PCSP website at www.pcsps.org