The Deputy Chief Constable of the PSNI, Paul Leighton this week spent a productive morning with local young out on Lough Erne to experience first hand the work that Constable Gordon Fallis, Enniskillen Police Station and the Prince's Trust team have been doing in the Fermanagh area.

Last year, the PSNI's Community Safety Branch organised secondment opportunities for police staff to the Prince's Trust Team programme.

For the last number of weeks, Constable Fallis has been working clos ely with a group of local young people to further develop their personal skills.

The Programme allows staff to engage on a more personal level with 'hard to reach' young people, who, in many instances, have had very difficult issues to face in their lives and have little opportunity to engage in a positive way with police.

Mr Leighton spoke to the group at length about the work they have been doing in the local community and answered questions on a broad range of subjects, from community policing to the parades issues.

Commenting on the project, Mr Leighton stated: "The secondment provides an opportunity for police officers and young people to form a relationship of trust which, in turn feeds back to other peers.

"The voice of young people is an important part of policing. We have a Youth Strategy that we want to be meaningful and, therefore we have to listen and try to impact on the issues the young people bring to us'.

He suggested that the Prince's Team Programme is an excellent opportunity for us to hear those views from young people who are often excluded and hard to reach by the nature of their personal situations.

"We as an organisation want to contribute to the way forward for the young people and their communities. For those who enter the Programme, we wish to engage side by side in both their personal development and in the various community projects, which is part of the experience."

Referring to the benefits of the programme for his officers, Mr Leighton remarked: "A trust is built between the young people and police which will help both parties in the future. Not only is the relationship developed with the seconded staff but, also between the local District Community Safety teams, who can assist in additional involvement.

"The officers involved can also develop their leadership and problem-solving skills, all of which are of benefit in the future in their policing role internally, and within the community", he added.