PSNI response to suspected drugs find not up to the mark

[Máirseáil Uí Néill]

PSNI response to suspected drugs find not up to the mark
Published: 5 January, 2008

Sinn Féin's Niall Ó Donnghaile has expressed his utter dismay at the PSNI response to what local people suspect was another drugs find in the Short Strand area.

A small sealed bag containing traces of a white powder was found by a local resident in the same area as a similar find a few weeks back, close to the Doyle Youth Club.

The Sinn Féin's East Belfast Representative said,

"This is a worrying development given that this package was found in the same area as one a few weeks back, located just beside the Doyle Youth Club where children are gathered most nights of the week.

"I commend the vigilance of the resident who found this package and would call on parents to talk to their children and warn them about the dangers of drugs.

"If it does indeed emerge that this bag, and the last one, contained drugs then this is a worrying pattern and shows very clearly that people are targeting children within the area; we as a community must not allow that to happen.

The responsibility for this problem lies firmly with those parasites in our community who are supplying these deadly drugs.

"However, I would also raise concerns over the PSNI response to this drugs find. Having arranged to pass the package on to them with a member of the Short Strand Drug Awareness Programme, as we have done in the past, the PSNI officers involved amazingly refused to come to the meeting because young children were throwing snowballs at them!

"This beggars belief and I dread to think if the same excuse would be used had someone been attacked or worse.

"I, the SSDP Worker and the resident who found the package were then forced to find another location in which to meet the PSNI and pass the package, which we believed may have contained drugs, over to them.

"We reiterate our party's position to work with the PSNI to provide an effective and accountable policing service but the PSNI have a long way to go in gaining the confidence of this community and attitudes like those displayed last night do nothing to earn that trust."

http://www.sebelfastsinnfein.com/news/6810

[Máirseáil Uí Néill]

what a crazy excuse!!!!!

[Vox Populi]

because young children were throwing snowballs at them!

But when it was in Crossmaglen, people were encouraged to tout.

[Rebel CNC]

If the residents are so f***ing concerned, get their brats to behave! It's the old "Ah sure they're only young and having a bit of fun" excuse used by skanger parents everywhere.

[Máirseáil Uí Néill]

this is avery small minority within the community i would say, and i would also suggest that it is far mroe worrying if dealers are actively targeting young people in the area.

the short strand is an area known throughout ireland for it's record of resilience and resistance, despites many best efforts to destroy it it remains today, it should not allow itself to be destroyed from within by anti social and anti community elements like drug pushers etc.