Mr. John D. TaylorTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the population of the borough of Castlereagh; how many community police officers operate within the borough; and if he will make a statement on the adequacy of policing within the borough.
§ Sir John WheelerAt the time of the last census in 1991, the population of the borough of Castlereagh was 60,799.
The deployment of police officers is an operational responsibility of the Chief Constable, but I understand that three sergeants and 28 constables are dedicated to "community police officer" duty in the Castlereagh area. However, all officers are encouraged to adopt a community role at all times.
The Chief Constable takes into account both operational requirements and available resources in the deployment of police officers.