Warrenpoint CCTV and Gangs

I read with interest your report on the gang which gathered in Warrenpoint on 12th. March. I witnessed this gang and can describe their presence in Church Street and the Square as intimidating. The only saving grace is that the other gang from Newry did not arrive or goodness knows what the consequences for the town would have been. However the police comment that they found the town to be quite and that no damage or injuries were reported is slightly misleading. There may have been no injuries as the Newry gang did not arrive, but there was certainly damage. I have seen the damage that was done to at least one business premises on Church Street. The fact of the matter is that the owner did not consider it worthwhile reporting this matter to the police because he felt it would be a complete waste of time. The fact is that unless necessary for insurance purposes minor damage is not reported as the belief is that it will never be investigated.
Even more worrying is the belief that CCTV is seen as some sort of saviour for the town and is being promoted by some of our politicans as the greatest arrival since Christ's at Bethlehem. My fear is that CCTV will be used by the police as a further excuse to abandon the need to patrol the town as they will argue that CCTV is present. The question will need to be asked if this CCTV will be monitored on a full time basis so that problems can be identified and immediately dealt with (I suspect not) and secondly it must be obvious that in this age of the hoodie culture that it will be impossible to identify troublemakers - do they expect them to remove their hoods and scarves and smile to the cameras before they move on. CCTV is not the answer, what is needed is regular police patrols on the streets who are prepared to deal with anti social behaviour and not more excuses for the police to abandon the town to the gangs.


Newry Democrat 27/03/07