Chief Constable's Annual Report 2006-07
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Chief Constable’s ANNUAL REPORT 2006>2007 Your service, your report Chief Constable’s Foreword IN THE SPOTLIGHT BUILDING SAFER COMMUNITIES Every day in policing is different. Each brings its own challenges and opportunities while many have their rewards and some their difficulties. Cameras focus on the launch of the Winter This report is an opportunity to reflect on engineering, which sit alongside enforcement. Anti-drink Drive Campaign. An actor plays how we as a professional and effective Police We will continue to target the drink/drugs the ‘drink driver’. Service work through all of those challenges, driver, the speeder, those who do not wear opportunities, rewards and difficulties to build seatbelts and those who drive without care Policing was at the heart of significant communication strategies that support a safer community for everyone. through education and enforcement. political, community and social the work of the Service. developments during the year. As a The year under review in this report will The past is an ever-present element of policing result, media focus was intense at local, Communications strategies have been stand out long into the future as a particularly here. It is important that we deal with it national and international levels. developed to support major projects, which significant one, not just for the Police Service effectively and sensitively if we are to achieve include the CORE project, which is the but also for the people it serves. Policing a better future. We will do our part while Service’s response to the Review of Public once again found itself at the centre of major others need to explore the need for a wider The Department of Media and Public Relations is the prism through which that interest Administration, through to the recent year- change and the focus of much community and more comprehensive approach to dealing is reflected both internally and externally. long knife crime campaign which saw the and political debate. with this complicated and difficult territory. Headed by Director Sinéad McSweeney, introduction of a number of knife amnesties the Department exists to support policing across Northern Ireland. For the first time, all of our major political In order to meet our commitment to the in its many facets through three branches parties declared support for policing and the public enquiries established by Government, – News, Public Relations and Public Affairs. The Public Relations team also managed the criminal justice system. I have always said we set up Crime Support Department headed role of the Police Service in the recent Policing that policing is a public service, which every by a new Assistant Chief Constable. This While significant effort was directed into the Future event, an international policing member of the public should feel free to access Department will be the interface between explaining the major issues of development conference hosted by the Police Service and without fear or other obstacles. I am proud of the Service and the Rosemary Nelson, Billy and change facing the Service, equal effort the Northern Ireland Policing Board. With the work and commitment of my officers and Wright and Robert Hamill inquiries. It will was devoted to supporting front line policing speakers such as Bill Bratton, Chief of staff who have helped create the conditions also be responsible for re-examining unsolved through engagement with local and national Police for Los Angeles and Sir Ian Blair, which made this year’s progress possible. murders committed between April 1998 media and key stakeholders. Commissioner for the Metropolitan Police, and the establishment of Crime Operations the conference attracted a wide range of Once again, this annual report is being sent to Department in March 2004. The Historical delegates and saw policing and community every single household in Northern Ireland as Enquiries Team (HET) continues to re- NEWS representatives share their experiences and part of our ongoing engagement examine all deaths attributable debate the future of policing across a number with people and our commitment to the security situation between More than 16,000 calls were received of areas. to openness and transparency. It Delivering 1969 and 1998. from media outlets over the past twelve seeks to give you a broad picture improvements months. Some 1,600 interview facilities Targeting thieves at Christmas, the team further of what police are doing on your As a Service, we work closely were arranged for officers at all ranks – from developed a successful seasonal campaign to alert behalf, and why. people can see with the office of the Police Constable to Chief Constable – and the the public to keep their property and presents Ombudsman. During the year branch dealt with local media and media safe. This campaign ran across Northern Overall crime continues to fall and is down she published a report into the Raymond organisations throughout the world including Ireland with specially designed messages for by almost two per cent. This puts the crime McCord Junior murder case and we accepted Time Magazine, USA Today, Canadian poster sites, adshels and shopping centres. rate at a five year low. We achieve results all of the report’s recommendations, many of Broadcasting Network as well as journalists through constantly updating police methods which had already been implemented. from French, German, Swiss and Japanese The Public Relations team also managed the and techniques and through the essential media outlets. 2006 Policing with the Community Awards. support we receive across the community. The year under review saw planning for major One of the highlights of the policing calendar, The engagement and conversations we are structural change in the Service which went The story of policing in Northern Ireland the ceremony rewards officers and staff for having at all levels are crucial if we are to ‘live’ on 1st April 2007. Eight new District continued to be one that made the headlines going that extra mile and is attended by continue to achieve reductions in the number Command Units were set up to replace the right across the globe. Officers have carried over 300 guests. of burglaries, thefts, fraud, vehicle crime and existing 29 districts. The aim is to deliver out interviews explaining the role of the robbery throughout all areas. improvements to policing that people Police Service of Northern Ireland and With responsibility for corporate internal can see on the ground. The new structure demonstrating often first hand through ‘ride- communications, 2006 saw the development Detectives and civilian specialists attached to gives us more capability and enhances alongs’ for journalists the proactive work they of a new communications tool designed to Crime Operations fearlessly tackle the serious effectiveness and efficient resource use. The do to make Northern Ireland safer for all. reach all employees of the Police Service. and organised criminals. Their successes are new commanders are committed to constantly CallSign Online, a fortnightly online Over the past twelve months the Department newsletter, brings the latest news directly outlined in the report but one in particular improving delivery at the front line and also issued thousands of appeals for to officers and staff. It complements the – Northern Ireland’s biggest ever seizure engaging at the local level where it matters. information through the media. These have staff magazine,CallSign , which keeps staff of drugs, £18 million worth of cannabis in made a real difference in terms of solving informed of events and shares best practice. Newtownards – is worthy of mention here. We still face challenges in the time ahead. crimes here and in reassuring the public. Like other public bodies, the future raises Despite these successes, some people still have the prospect of reduced budget and the Community Notification Orders were PUBLIC AFFAIRS a very real fear of crime. Police on the ground requirement to do more with less. We believe released using the media regarding three sex are tackling that through initiatives such as that we are up to the task. offenders who had failed to comply with their The societal changes which have impacted the growing number of neighbourhood watch obligations. Within a short period of having on the structure and development of policing schemes and crime prevention advice. By working with local communities to released these details to the media, information has made it all the more important for the identify local issues and, most importantly, was received quickly which allowed police to Service to engage with individuals of influence We continue to try to make our roads safer. local solutions we can and will continue to pinpoint the location of the offenders. and stakeholders in the community. The Six fewer people died last year. But we are deliver a safer Northern Ireland. Public Affairs branch has played a key role in far from complacent. Road safety is a major monitoring, assessing and reporting on such policing priority and I remain very concerned PUBLIC RELATIONS developments - keeping the organisation about the numbers killed and seriously injured informed of the constantly changing on our roads. As a Police Service we cannot 2006 saw the development of a new environment in which it operates. dismiss the importance of both education and dedicated Public Relations branch within Sir Hugh Orde the Department. Staffed by public relations The Public Affairs branch has also worked ChieF ConstaBle’S Chief Constable professionals, the team works in partnership to facilitate effective communication between 2 Annual report 2006>07 with police officers and staff to develop the Service and its many stakeholders. POLICING THE FUTURE KEEPING THE LOCAL TOUCH YOUR NEW COMMANDERS The face of front line policing changed The overarching objective remains to make Chief Superintendent Gary White Chief Superintendent Alan Todd during the year.