PSNI launch 'bridge building' conference in Portadown

A new campaign designed to build bridges between young people and police has been launched by the PSNI in Portadown today.

The 'Young People and the Police' conference in the Seagoe Hotel is one of a series of events to be staged by police over the next few months to engage with young people and find out what they really think about policing.

Senior local police officers will share a platform with the Police Ombudsman, Nuala O'Loan, and vice-chairman of the Policing Board, Denis Bradley, to take questions from 120 teenagers on a range of issues.

The young people, aged 16-18, will come from a broad cross-section of backgrounds including controlled, maintained, integrated and special needs schools.

Speaking at the conference, Denis Bradley said: "This is an important initiative and a good opportunity for young people to talk openly and directly about policing and I am very pleased to be able to take part.

"More often than not, young people come into contact with the police for the wrong reasons so I hope that this will be a very positive experience which we can all learn from."

Mrs O'Loan, added: "Around a quarter of the people who make complaints to us are aged between 16 and 20, so there is obviously an issue which needs to be addressed.

"I look on this event very much as a listening exercise and hope to get a better understanding of issues from the young person's perspective. If we have any message to pass on, it will be that my Office is there as an independent mechanism to deal with any complaints that young people may have."

Mrs O'Loan said the conference aims to create an atmosphere in which teenagers can engage with police officers, the Ombudsman and Policing Board and speak openly about issues that affect their daily lives.

The conference will also give officers the opportunity to listen to young people and to talk about policing in Northern Ireland and the problems they face on a daily basis.

(MB)