CHIEF Superintendent Richard Russell is one of the North's eight new police District Commanders.

Strabane forms part of his area of responsibility. In this special article he looks to the future. He examines the impact of new local policing structures and reassures the public of a commitment to improving services through change.

"The future of policing in the Strabane area will, I believe, be one of improvement, effectiveness and inclusiveness.

While we still operate in a challenging environment, my officers will continue to strive to provide local people with the best possible policing service. We will do that by working in partnership with them.

The Police Service once again finds itself at the centre of major change. This is nothing new. Indeed, the history of policing in Northern Ireland over the past 10 years has been marked by an ongoing process of change.

As part of that, we are creating eight District Command Units (DCUs). From April 1st, these will replace the existing 29 DCUs that broadly mirror the soon-to-disappear council areas. Strabane will join with Foyle, Magherafelt, and Limavady in the new DCU.

This is a significant change in police structure. However, I can assure people that one thing that will remain resolutely unchanged is my commitment, and the commitment of my officers, to provide them with professional and effective policing.

I am proud of the service we already give. But, we can always do better. What we do best is policing with communities.

That is all about engaging with those communities, either as individuals or through their representatives.

It is about policing with confidence and consent. The central goal for all of us is to make the Strabane area a safer place for everyone.

On this occasion we are not on our own in facing change. The government's Review of Public Administration (RPA) has produced the biggest shake-up of public services here since 1973. We are just one of the services to be affected.

This is always a challenge. But it is a challenge we have met head-on in the past. It is one we will deliver on now.

The challenge for me and for my officers is to ensure change can be translated into deliverable and measurable improvements that people in Strabane can see on the ground in Strabane."

I am confident we will do that," he added.