British govt urged to move funds to PSNI college

The British government was urged tonight to stump up extra funding to pay the running costs of Northern Ireland’s new police training college.

The academy plan has received strong backing, which is due to open in 2007, in Cookstown, Co Tyrone.

The 210 acres of surplus land owned by the North's Dept of Agriculture was the largest and cheapest of three sites shortlisted.

Professor Desmond Rea’s policing board approved the scheme after being told of ambitious plans aimed at developing the college into the finest in the world.

It includes the construction of a model district command village to train recruits and mock aeroplanes, buses and banks to simulate hijacking and robbery situations.

But with Chief Constable Hugh Orde demanding the new facilities are opened as soon as possible, board members have demanded more cash.

Building work will begin on the location in September next year in the hope of having the facilities opened two years later.

Mr Orde made a new academy to replace the outdated and dilapidated Garnerville complex in east Belfast a top priority when he took charge of the PSNI.

His deputy, Paul Leighton, who led a special team which examined a total of 26 bids, described the decision as a milestone for policing in Northern Ireland.

He said: “It will enable us to bring together police training in a single, purpose-built, world-class facility and enable us to build connections with other police services from across the world.”

It is hoped recruits from forces across Europe and America will join trainee PSNI officers in using the facilities.

Prof Rea insisted the scheme, which involves the largest public-private finance initiative ever undertaken in the North, would meet pressing policing needs.

“It is no secret that the training facilities available to the PSNI are completely inadequate and a new college is long overdue,” he added.

Cookstown emerged as the location following one of the most sensitive processes of its kind ever undertaken in Northern Ireland.

With more jobs certain to be created, business and civic leaders in the town were already contemplating a massive economic boost.

With republicans yet to back the reformed police service, Mr McGuinness tonight claimed many local people would be unhappy with the plans.

He said: “The decision to go ahead with the establishment of this facility should have been deferred until we had resolved the outstanding issues surrounding policing.”

But Alex Attwood, one of the nationalist SDLP representatives on the board, said the location was ideal.

Security Minister Jane Kennedy described the announcement as an important step towards fulfilling the Patten blueprint for overhauling the police service.

She said: “PSNI officers deserve nothing but the best to meet the demands and pressures of modern day policing.

“A new purpose-built police college will provide future recruits with the most up-to-date facilities to study and train.”