Special meeting held in Derry to discuss problems in St Columb’s Park

A meeting has taken place in Derry to discuss ongoing issues affecting St Columb’s Park in Derry.
Council members and officials, community representatives and the PSNI met to discuss the anti-social behaviour, alcohol consumption and criminal incidents taking place in the park, with reports that there’s been an escalation in the problem over recent weeks.
The meeting was convened by the City Centre Manager.
All attendees at the meeting agreed that many of the incidents are alcohol related and supported the call for police to prioritise the area over the coming weeks as a matter of urgency and to allocate the necessary resources to prevent any reoccurrence.
Concerns were raised that the ongoing issues in and around the park, especially during the current sunny weather, has impacted negatively on the safety of park users and local residents.
Those attending agreed to request that the park and the surrounding areas is treated as a high priority by PSNI and its partners and is resourced accordingly.
It was also requested that the PSNI check those entering the park for alcohol and seize alcohol from anyone drinking in the park.
A spokesperson for the group confirmed that the relevant bodies would continue to work in partnership with PSNI and support their actions to ensure that the park and the surrounding area remains a shared space for everyone to enjoy.