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Five new Neighbourhood Policing Teams (NPTs) are being set up in Belfast in an effort to engage more closely with local communities to tackle crime in their areas, it was announced today.

The teams, in the south and east of the city, will seek to provide a more visible deterrent on the streets and have ownership of local ‘beat areas’ and respond to the concerns of communities and businesses in those areas.

Announcing the five B District NPT areas , Community Safety Superintendent Chris Noble said the public’s sense of safety and their confidence in the police were critically important, as was reducing crime and disorder.

He said: “It is important that local residents know who these officers are and how to contact them. Visibility alone is not enough. Communities want accessible, knowledgeable and locally known officers.”

But he added that things worked two ways and the community also had to participate.

“It is critical that local residents make an effort to engage with the Neighbourhood Policing Teams. We cannot effectively deal with the issues in your area if we are not aware of them.

“I would encourage people to make contact with my officers directly or through other channels such as Neighbourhood Watch schemes or local community groups,” he said.

The five teams will each be headed by an inspector.

PA