Alliance Welcomes Opening Of Omagh Bombing Inquiry

The Alliance Party has welcomed the opening of the new inquiry into the Omagh bombing, with local Councillor Stephen Donnelly stating that "the thoughts of everyone in the town will be with the victims and survivors".

The hearing will commemorate the lives of the 29 people killed in the 1998 Real IRA attack. Those injured or affected by the bombing will give testimony over the scheduled four weeks of the hearing.

"The Omagh bomb was the darkest day in the history of our town and it still lives in the memories of all those who experienced it," Councillor Donnelly said.

"Today is momentous but as always, my thoughts and the thoughts of others across the town are with the victims and survivors of the bomb, as well as their loved ones and others still affected.

"The resolve, determination and bravery of the Omagh families are an example to us all, and the community spirit they have helped to foster is truly the lasting legacy of this horrible incident.

"While nothing can erase the pain experienced by those affected by the bomb, I hope this inquiry gives some relief for those grieving, and allows them to tell their stories."

Police Seize Vehicles in Derry City Following Reports of Anti-Social Driving

On Sunday, 26 January, officers from the Foyleside and The Moor Neighbourhood Team in Derry City & Strabane were patrolling the Northland Road area in response to concerns about anti-social driving.

During their enquiries, officers identified two vehicles that were found to be uninsured. As a result, both vehicles were seized by the police.

The PSNI encourages anyone with concerns about any issue in their area to contact 101, or submit a report online to police via www.psni.police.uk/report

Crimestoppers can also be contacted anonymously on 0800 555 111. In an emergency, always call 999.

SDLP Welcomes New PSNI Recruitment Campaign

The SDLP has welcomed the PSNI's new recruitment campaign, with Policing Board member Mark H Durkan stating that "recruiting more PSNI officers is key to keeping local communities safe".

Foyle MLA Mr Durkan said: "That PSNI officer numbers have been allowed to drop to an all-time low is a matter of real concern and the impact of that is being felt in our local communities every day. At New Decade, New Approach we agreed that the PSNI should have at least 7,500 officers and we have instead gone backwards, with the need for more officers likely far greater given increases in our population.

"The reduction in officer numbers has particularly hit our neighbourhood policing teams, meaning there are less officers on the ground, engaging with local communities and keeping people safe. This impacts community confidence in policing, which has been a dealt a number of blows in recent years following high-profile incidents and errors of judgement within the police service itself.

"The Executive must ensure we have a properly resourced police force so that they can carry out their basic duties. The tendency from Executive parties to blame shift in matters related to policing has been regrettable and does not serve our police service or the public well.

"When recruiting new officers there is also a need to make sure that we are creating a police service that reflects the communities it represents. Over a quarter of a century on from the Patten report we are still making little headway in recruiting officers from the nationalist community, and indeed other minority communities now living in the North. I understand that the blame for this does not lie solely with our police service, but they should be doing more to reach out to all sections of our society."