Who is policing Derry?

The INLA in Derry have seized a batch of deadly weapons, including martial arts knives and an imitation gun, from young people across the city.

It's believed the gun - which was seized from a 16 year-old - was used in recent incidents in the Ballymagroarty area in which a masked and armed individual called at a number of houses, demanding cash at gunpoint.

The INLA says its volunteers seized the weapons after being contacted by concerned residents.

"The INLA is coming under increasing pressure from communities to take action against these activities," a spokeperson for the organisation told Foyle News. "We will keep a watching brief on the situation over the next few weeks. We are calling on people not to become involved in this activity or to carry weapons."

Derry Journal

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The INLA have no mandate to police local communities, the chairperson of the Derry District Policing Partnership has said.

Councillor Gallagher said while he wanted to see weapons removed from circulation, it was the responsibility of the PSNI to do so.

Derry Journal

They were approached by someone in the community about a problem; sounds to me like they've managed to get more of a mandate than the PSNI - who are still greeted with violence whenever they enter many parts of Derry. I'm ofcourse not necessarily suggesting the INLA are the best men for the job, or even that they have the broad consensual backing of the community - but someone, somehow would rather trust them than the police to get things sorted.

If we dispense with the bureaucratic nonsense and think about it sensibly, maintaining civil order is pretty much a common sense issue - burglars, drug dealers and muggers are not wanted in any sane community therefore we set up forces to keep them from running rampant and ruining the place.

With that in mind; if people in Derry don't want the PSNI coming in and ordering things, why can't they police themselves? Why not put the resources poured into such "cross community" efforts as the PSNI into local residential police corps, whereby people take responsiblity for their own areas and communities? This would still leave unanswered the issue of punishment and courts, but it seems to me that it would at least be a step closer to a sensible peaceful settlement on policing.