Parades cost STG5m last year: UTV Internet -

The cost of policing parades in Northern Ireland was £5m last year, the Chief Constable has revealed. Sir Hugh Orde told the Policing Board on Thursday that contentious marches with a high threat of disorder divert tens of thousands of pounds of PSNI resources from other frontline services. It is understood the cost of policing last weekend's Whiterock parade in north Belfast alone was in excess of £100,000. Orde said that the overall bill for the marching season would remain significant unless more was done to reach accommodation between communities ahead of the events. "That's a substantial cost in terms of what we could've done with £5m for community policing and in terms of dealing with crime levels - which is exactly what communities talk to me about." Paying tribute to those who had ensured parades so far this year had... [read full story]                    

powered by