Cost of policing Drumcree stand-off at £3m so far - PSNI
The cost of policing the Drumcree stand-off has so far cost £3 million, PSNI Chief Constable Jon Boutcher has said.
In a five-day security operation, the police have spent £3 million to maintain order during the controversial Drumcree parade, according to PSNI Chief Constable Jon Boutcher. Speaking at a Northern Ireland Policing Board session, Boutcher clarified that the police were tasked with facilitating the Parades Commission's decision to allow the parade, but not at the expense of public safety or the preservation of peace.
He emphasized that the PSNI's primary duty was to protect citizens and prevent harm, and that marching through a hostile crowd would be both unsafe and disproportionate. Boutcher also warned that such an action could have serious consequences for the wider community in Northern Ireland. The policing chief stressed that the short timeframe and complex legal processes made the situation particularly challenging, and that his officers had determined that deploying a significant force for the parade would have increased the risk of disorder.
He assured the Policing Board that a peaceful and lasting resolution was in everyone's best interest and that the PSNI were committed to finding a safe and lawful solution.
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