BYAILEEN MURPHY

It's crunch time for police stations in Fermanagh this week as Chief Superintendent Michael Skuce and Chief Inspector Alywin Barton embark on a series of public meetings around the County to address the proposals to close four rural stations, at Kesh, Belleek, Belcoo and Newtownbutler.

And the first meeting on Monday night, to a packed community centre in Kesh, will have left the police in no doubt about the emotional attachment people have to their police stations and the strength of feeling which exists about proposals to close them.

Chief Superintended Michael Skuce explained to the public meeting that the proposals are based on budget restraints and the fall in the numbers of police officers available.

However, an angry Kesh meeting accused the PSNI of 'deserting' the village. A move which is further aggravated given Kesh's historical strong links with the police in Fermanagh.

Kesh businessman Gary Wilson summed it up: "We have worked with you, and worked for you, now we are being deserted. I think it is a disgrace."

The crowd urged the Police to come up with an alternative which will include some level of police being retained in the village.

After two-and-a-half hours, the Kesh meeting drew to a close. However, the topic was addressed again last night in Belleek, and will be discussed at Belcoo Community Centre tonight (Wednesday) and Newtownbutler Community Centre tomorrow (Thursday) at 8pm.

Chief Superintended Skuce will be presenting his final decisions to the District Policing Partnership in June.