(Editorial, Irish News)

Hugh Orde took to the streets of Belfast yesterday (Friday) and some very forthright citizens left him in no doubt about what they expect from the PSNI.

The occasion was the completion of the Chief Constable's first year in charge of the PSNI.

The existence of the various dissident groups and the behaviour of some of the longer established organisations is still causing some concern and merited comment by the Chief Constable.

But it is important to note that most of the comments made to him by members of the public concerned crimes such as theft and drug taking – not the activities of the para-militaries.

Perhaps in a strange way it can be interpreted as a good sign that we no longer seem to be so worried about the paramilitaries. But the other side of the coin is that 'ordinary crime' is causing more and more concern.

Attacks on the elderly, car crime, vandalism and drug taking are just some of the things which have occupied the headlines for some time now.

The PSNI faces a tough challenge – whether under the command of Hugh Orde or someone else – in trying to tackle these problems.

No doubt if Mr Orde takes another walkabout next year he will face similar calls for action from members of the public but hopefully he will be able to point to improvements in the rates of detection and falling crime levels.

This article appeared first in the August 30, 2003 edition of the Irish News.

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