Policing with the Community
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Police Service of Northern Ireland report2002–2003 of the Chief Constable INSIDE Policing with the Community An indepth look at how local communities are working with the police Clearing up on Crime High profile investigations reach successful conclusion Tackling the Terrorist Threat Operations thwarted by good police work About the PSNI The Police Service of Northern Ireland exist to The three Regions are made up of smaller The Police Service is accountable to the make Northern Ireland safer for everyone District Command Units (DCUs). Twenty-five Northern Ireland Policing Board which, in Chief Officers of the Police through professional, progressive policing. DCUs are co-terminus with district council areas addition to independent members drawn from We aim to be a service everyone can be proud outside Belfast. The capital is divided into four the broader Northern Ireland community, has Service of Northern Ireland of because we provide policing at its best. DCUs, North, South, East and West. representatives from almost all the main Our values as an organisation are honesty political parties. on 31st March 2003 Each DCU works closely with the elected and and openness, fairness and courtesy, independent members of its local District Chief Constable Hugh Orde partnerships, performance and professionalism Policing Partnership (DPP), adopting a (from September 2002) and respect for the rights of all. North proactive, problem-solving approach to Belfast The PSNI came into being on November 4, ANTRIM RD East Deputy Chief Constable Paul Leighton tackling crime and Belfast 2001. Police headquarters is at Knock, in east STRANDTOWN disorder. (from March 2003) Belfast, and the Service is divided into three MOYLE West COLERAINE Belfast geographical areas – Urban, North and South GROSVENOR RD Assistant Chief Constable Chris Albiston, Regions. BALLYMONEY South Crime Branch Belfast At the end of March 2003, the Police Service MUSGRAVE ST had an establishment of 7,500 regular police LIMAVADY Assistant Chief Constable Roy Toner, officers, complemented by 1,765 Reserve FOYLE Corporate Development officers. The effective strength, however, which BALLYMENA LARNE Assistant Chief Constable Duncan excludes officers on secondment and those McCausland, Operational Support who have not yet graduated, was 6,940 MAGHERAFELT regulars with 1,804 full-time Reserve officers STRABANE ANTRIM NEWTOWN CARRICKFERGUS Acting Assistant Chief Constable and 929 part-time Reserve. -A BBEY Maggie Hunter, Urban Region NORTH DOWN Urban Region covers an area of COOKSTOWN Assistant Chief Constable Sam Kinkaid, some 560 square miles, taking in BELFAST ARDS North Region greater Belfast, Antrim, Carrickfergus and OMAGH CASTLE Lisburn, and serving a population -REAGH Assistant Chief Constable Stephen White, of around 696,000 people. LISBURN South Region DUNGANNON North Region stretches & SOUTH TYRONE CRAIGAVON from Fermanagh in the Mr David Best, Director of Finance west, through Londonderry BANBRIDGE DOWN Mr Joe Stewart, Senior Director of ARMAGH and across to Larne, an area of FERMANAGH Human Resources 3,500 square miles which is home to around 511,000 people. Mr Austin Hunter, Director of Media and Public Relations South Region covers most of Counties NEWRY & MOURNE Tyrone, Armagh and Down and serves a Mr David Mercier, Legal Adviser population of around 482,000. Each region is commanded by an Assistant Chief Constable. Background to change The historic nature of the change in Each of the areas - which were further the Police Service is reflected in the divided into specific projects - became the responsibility of ‘accountable officers’ at the opening words of the Oversight highest levels within the organisation. Commissioner’s first report in In August, an overall ‘implementation plan’ November 2000: “The proposed was drawn up by the Northern Ireland Office revisions for the policing services in identifying who was responsible for implementing each of the recommendations Northern Ireland are the most and setting out a timescale. Ultimately this complex and dramatic changes ever was amended, and a second version issued, attempted in modern history.” when there were changes in legislation. It was keenly recognised by the Service’s Internally, a Change Management Team - senior management team that in addition to and financial. the Policing with the Community headed by an Assistant Chief Constable – was the interest and involvement of many But despite all of these demands, there implementation plan was published and a set up in December 1999. Its objectives were – individuals and bodies throughout Northern remains a determination within the Police significant start has been made in and continue to be – to research, plan, co- Ireland in the development of policing, one of Service – at all levels – to press forward with implementing the strategy. ordinate and monitor the change programme. the most important constituencies was the the programme of organisational, cultural and The Service has made great advances with This specially dedicated unit was necessary internal one. symbolic change, building on the honourable early programmes of decentralization, given that the 175 ‘Patten recommendations’ In addition to its responsibility for liaising foundations of the past, and providing all of including the appointment of business were being looked at alongside additional with the Oversight Commissioner, the Northern the people of Northern Ireland with a highly managers and personnel managers to DCUs. recommendations from reports by her Majesty’s Ireland Office and Policing Board and for professional and effective police service. The roll out of a new improved information Inspector of Constabulary, the Lawrence Report monitoring the progress of change, the Change technology system gathered speed and following the murder of a black teenager in Management Team instituted a system of Managing the change ‘Policenet’, the PSNI’s new intranet site, was London and human rights legislation. internal communications involving cascade The pace of change in the Police Service of launched. The recommendations which formed the briefings, videos and information bulletins. A Northern Ireland gathered momentum in The past twelve months also saw the launch change programme were grouped into six key telephone helpline was also put in place. 2002. of a major drive to recruit civilian support staff areas: Change is ongoing. At times it has not been Significant steps have been taken and there into the Police Service which has resulted in a • Style easy. The demands of reducing numbers of has been substantial progress with the first wide range of staff being employed in a • Shared values officers under the voluntary severance scheme, newly trained PSNI officers graduating in April variety of diverse roles. • Staffing coupled with a disproportionately large 2002 and joining their stations in August. By A new recruitment campaign for part time • Skills number of serious crime investigations, March 2003, 674 applicants had entered police officers began in February 2003. The • Structures policing public disorder and riots, and the training, recruited on a 50/50 basis. campaign, piloted in four DCUs, has already • Systems. continuing high level of terrorist threat put The new uniforms, badge and flag were achieved great successes with high levels of significant pressures on resources both human introduced to the Service in April 2002 and applications. 2 : Report of the Chief Constable 2002–2003 : Making Northern Ireland Safer THE AIMS OF THE POLICE SERVICE >> AIM: To promote safety and reduce disorder by: • Maintaining public order, thereby providing for the protection and security of the public • Improving the safety and reassurance of the public, especially those at risk of harm welcome • Improving road safety and the The past year has been one of challenge and change for the Police number of high profile murders being solved during the past twelve reduction of casualties. Service of Northern Ireland. There have also been many successes. months. Through the creation of District Command Units, the Service is Resource pressures still exist. The demands of crime remain high moving forward in its commitment to providing an inclusive police and this, coupled with road policing, community safety, public service; a local service delivered by local officers. disorder and the ever-present menace of terrorist activity, place a Decentralisation has given police commanders the power, the great strain on our officers. We are continually faced with the issue of autonomy and the responsibility to make decisions and implement allocating resources in an appropriate manner and there are still skill activity on the ground. I firmly believe that the more we allow local gaps within the Service, particularly with regard to the lack of commanders to get on with local policing, working with their local experienced detectives. In the course of the year, we have sought to communities, without central interference, the more effective we address these problems in a proactive manner. will become. Communities across Northern Ireland want to see police on their The creation of District Policing Partnerships has represented a streets, combating crime in their areas. The Police Service is further step forward for committed to providing policing in Northern this service, to >> AIM: To reduce crime and the Ireland. Independent investigating and solving members have now been local crime and ensuring fear of crime: recruited from all our neighbourhoods