Write a commentRepresentatives from Sinn Féin and the SDLP have have met with Simon Byrne, Chief Constable of the PSNI to discuss his Christmas Day Tweet from Crossmaglen PSNI Station which showed a photograph ofheavily armed police officers standing outside the station.
"Ill judged"
Slieve Gullion Councillor Pete Byrne welcomed the frank meeting and said: “I, along with SDLP Policing Spokesperson, Dolores Kelly MLA, very much welcomed the opportunity to meet with the Chief Constable and discuss his offensive social media post about Crossmaglen. He was clear that he apologised if he caused any offence to the local community and assured me it was not his intention to do so. He accepted that it was ill judged. We had a frank conversation about the importance of language and nuance.
“We discussed the positive work that has been achieved in policing in South Armagh in recent years, citing the co-operation between the PSNI and Crossmaglen Community First Responders as an example. The Chief Constable also accepted my invitation to join me in Crossmaglen for further engagement and I look forward to that in the coming months.”
Cllr Byrne added:“I also took the opportunity to raise wider policing issues in South Armagh, including the worrying upsurge in the amount of burglaries in the Camlough and Bessbrook areas. I stressed my view that the local response had been poor and needed more attention."
SDLP Policing Spokesperson, Dolores Kelly MLA added:“We had a robust discussion around the challenges of the style and appearance of militarised stations in Crossmaglen and Newtownhamilton. We discussed the slow pace of of transformation, the legacy of policing for communities like South Armagh and the ongoing cultural work that needed to take place within the PSNI. We were in agreement that this has to change and I look forward to hearing the proposals coming forward from the PSNI in partnership with the community of Crossmaglen.”
Police approach "barely changed"
Newry and Armagh MLA, Conor Murphy also called on the PSNI Chief Constable to review its approach to policing in south Armagh
Mr Murphy said: "Today in a meeting with PSNI Chief Constable Simon Byrne, I urged him to urgently change the PSNI approach to policing in south Armagh.
"The Christmas Day photo stunt in Crossmaglen made headlines, but is only symptomatic of a much wider problem with policing in the area.
"Over 20 years after Patten and the Good Friday Agreement, the police approach to the community in south Armagh has barely changed.
"In the wake of yet another paramilitary murder in East Antrim, it is completely unacceptable that south Armagh is described as 'unique'.
"The leadership in the PSNI still seem to be in a mindset of imposing policing on the local community, as opposed to policing with the community.
"Simon Byrne is a new Chief Constable, and he has an opportunity to set a new standard to give the local community policing they need and deserve."
Sorry for any offence"
The Chief Constable also released a statement saying he was sorry for any offence caused "My tweet on Christmas Day was never meant as a comment on the community of Crossmaglen and South Armagh Area and I am sorry for any offence that has been caused.
"I have reflected on the issue at length and have had many conversations with both colleagues and external stakeholders, up to and including a number of meetings with elected representatives yesterday and today.
"Since taking up the post of Chief Constable, I have been looking at the visibility, accessibility and responsiveness of policing right across Northern Ireland. As part of that ongoing work, I have commissioned a review of policing in South Armagh. The review will involve local officers, elected representatives and the local community.
"I am really proud of the local officers, who working together with local people, have made so much progress for policing and the community in recent years. It is only by working together that we will continue to make progress."
