Crime & Policing

Where & when?

Newcastle PSNI station can be found at 37 South Promenade, near the harbour end of the town. It’s open 8am – 8pm, 7 days per week. Telephone 0845 600 8000 or try the personal mobile numbers given below.

Who’s who?

Overall area commander for policing in Down District is Chief Inspector Deirdre Bones. The local area neighbourhood policing team is headed by Inspector Martin Trainor.  

The Newcastle team consists of Sergeant James McIlveen (07795 607430), Constable Jolene Jordan (07795 607430) and Constable Davy Jones. 

If you’re in Dundrum, Ballykinlar and Maghera, ask for Constable Linda Revels. For Castlewellan, Bryansford and Kilcoo, try Constable Sarah Jones (07825 684915). And for Clough, Seaforde and Drumaroad, it’s Constable Karen Thomas (07825 684799). Email: NewcastleNhood@psni.pnn.police.uk 

How are they / we doing?

According to the latest report from the District Policing Partnership, reported crime is showing a small fall in the area over the last three years. However, the report also shows an overall year-on-year rise of 8.2% in recorded crimes during Apr-Dec 2009, notwithstanding a dip during the final three months of the year. No specific breakdown for crime in Newcastle is given. 

Overall recorded crime, Down District 2006-09

Looking ahead, here is the policing plan for the Down district in 2010/11. The plan includes no target for actually reducing crime in the area, although the police do aim to increase the detection rate by 5%.

Police accountabilty

Down District Policing Partnership exists to “to encourage community involvement in policing and to enhance local police accountability”. More information here. It consists of a mixture of elected council representatives and independently appointed members of the public and is currently chaired by Councillor Dessie Patterson.

It’s next planned public meeting will be likely be held on Thursday 23rd September (venue to be confirmed). 

By the way, as of the time of writing (July 2010), the District Policing website, which houses an information section for Down DPP, appears to be hopelessly out of date. The last press release issued by Down DPP appears to have been in March 2006, while the last Consultation or Strategy document published also appears to date from the same year. The last meeting for which minutes are available is one held way back in October 2006.

I am assured that this situation will be rectified during summer 2010, but if this is what Down DPP means  by trying “to encourage community involvement in policing and to enhance local police accountability”, then at least online, for the last four years it has been failing miserably.

UPDATE: (July 29 2010) After a Freedom of Information request from newcastle rocks to Down DPP, it has now published the minutes of meetings from the last four years. Result.