Sinn Féin South Antrim MLA, Declan Kearney has welcomed a PSNI initiative on crime awareness conducted in the Springfarm estate, Antrim, and designed to provide support and reassurance to residents following recent criminal activity.

Speaking after joining the PSNI during the anti-crime leaflet drop in the estate, Declan Kearney said;

“As a follow up to a series of police interventions to address criminal activity in the Springfarm estate, including the imposition of an anti-community bonfire in June, and in response to continued representations from residents, I proposed that the PSNI should undertake a crime awareness initiative for the area.

“I was pleased to join neighbourhood police officers, along with Party colleagues, during this safer neighbourhood and drug crime awareness leaflet drop.

“Police agreed with me that this would be a timely initiative to provide reassurance to the community after residents had continued to raise concerns with my constituency office and local Party members about ongoing anti-social behaviour and criminal activity in Springfarm.

“I strongly believe that such initiatives are essential to build community confidence in policing. They create opportunities for residents to engage directly with neighbourhood police teams, and they encourage neighbourhood vigilance and reporting of crime.

“We need a zero-tolerance approach to all forms of anti-social and criminal in Antrim Town. 

“Everyone is entitled to live free from the threat or fear of crime. That will only be achieved when information is provided to police from within the community to assist in apprehending and putting before the courts the small number of criminals who are a blight in local neighbourhoods such as Springfarm.

“I want to thank those residents who took the time to speak with neighbourhood police officers, and myself and party colleagues, during our time in the estate. 

“I strongly encourage everyone to help deliver positive change in their community by remaining vigilant, to watch out for their neighbours, and report all suspicious activity directly to the PSNI on their enquiries line 101, or anonymously by ringing Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111. Alternatively, anyone with information about local crime can continue to contact myself, or the Sinn Féin organisation in the constituency. 

“Finally, I am grateful to the PSNI‘s Antrim Neighbourhood Police Team for its cooperation with this particular initiative to support the residents of Springfarm, and for the officers’ ongoing commitment to policing in partnership with the community.”