Chief Constable’s ANNUAL REPORT 2005>2006 Your service, your report Chief Constable’s Foreword WORKING WITH COMMUNITIES TO COMBAT CRIME PolICING in Northern Ireland is constantly changing – it cannot While the number of people who died throughout the year but it also highlights or who were injured on the road is at the challenges that lie ahead. Police afford to stand still. The Police Service continually looks at how its lowest level for 10 years, road safety officers can’t meet these challenges to do its business better – how to provide a more effective and remains one of our key priorities. alone. We need members of the public efficient service – and how to make Northern Ireland a safer to report crime, work with police to During the last year, nearly five times prevent crime and sit down with us to place for all who work, travel and live here. more people died as a result of road look at how we can work together to traffic collisions than were murdered. make Northern Ireland safer for all. Police officers and police staff are a significant seizure of counterfeit goods Police mounted a number of operations pushing forward the edges of policing during Operation Hambrock in South aimed at targeting those who behave to look at new and innovative ways Armagh worth nearly £1million. Concerted irresponsibly on the roads by speeding, of preventing and solving crime. and determined work by the Drugs Squad driving under the influence of drink and district police – targeted at disrupting or drugs, not paying attention or This year’s report provides a snapshot of drugs supply at the top level – resulted in not wearing their seatbelts. This has some of the work undertaken by police the seizure of more than £7 million worth resulted in the number of fatalities Sir Hugh Orde officers and staff to deal with those of drugs and an increase in the number of falling by 4.3% on the previous year. crimes which affect the quality of life people arrested for drugs-related offences. Chief Constable in our community. This work includes However, one death on the road is developing neighbourhood watch schemes Police continue to be concerned about one too many and we still have much in local areas, working in partnership to the increase in violent crime. Throughout work to do to get the message across tackle anti-social behaviour and criminal the course of the year there were 25 to people that carelessness on our damage, and putting in place proactive murders, and eight of those murders were roads can, and does, end in tragedy. initiatives to prevent burglaries. carried out using a knife or bottle. In May, police, along with partner agencies, Unfortunately, this year police officers We are also looking at innovative ways launched a knife disposal scheme and once again found themselves dealing with of cracking down on organised criminal campaign aimed at raising awareness, a number of incidents of serious public gangs who live off the backs of their particularly amongst young men, of the disorder. 600 of this year’s recorded THE CrImeStopperS charity own communities. Our intention is to dangers associated with carrying knives. crimes were directly attributable to the enjoyed another very successful year investigate and disrupt criminal networks, public order situation following the working in partnership with the police, community and the media. bring charges wherever possible and use “Police officers and staff Whiterock parade on 10th September the Proceeds of Crime Act to confiscate 2005. This level of public disorder diverts illegal profits. That work is paying off. are pushing forward the police resources from where they are During the year thousands of members edges of policing to look at most needed, and the cost to the police of the public called the anonymous During the year Organised Crime Branch service and indeed the wider community Crimestoppers 0800 555 111 number restrained assets, including cash, worth new and innovative ways of in Northern Ireland is immense. to give information about crime and over £5 million. In December 2005 preventing and solving crime.” criminals without fear and without officers from Organised Crime Branch and This year’s report gives an insight involvement. Of those thousands, Newry and Mourne district police made into some of the policing successes 1,763 calls were actionable, resulting in 142 arrests, a 76% increase on the previous year. Property, stolen goods and counterfeit products to the value of £213,865 were seized or recovered, together with £425,788 worth of drugs. Crimestoppers Northern Ireland recently launched its third major province-wide campaign which seeks to heighten public awareness of the Crimestoppers telephone number, the reasons why people should use it and the organisation’s charity status. THE PolICING with the Community with the Northern Ireland Policing Steven McKendry, a crime scenes Awards have become a set piece in the Board. There are six categories. investigator, is the Staff Member of The campaign comprises of three new Service’s annual calendar. They offer the Year. TV adverts, plus radio, press and online the opportunity to showcase policing Constable Chris Murdock, of Coleraine publicity, all promoting the message developments and initiatives to the DCU, was selected Community Police South Belfast DCU won the Partnership of the campaign, “Phone without community we serve and allow an internal Officer of the Year for his innovative Award for the Belfast City Centre Fear”. The campaign also includes celebration of the professionalism work in problem solving policing Project where traders have funded two advertising in pubs, on buses and on and dedication of colleagues. in the town’s Ballysally estate. police constables, while Foyle DCU telephone boxes, as well as a number picked up the Diversity Award. of local initiatives and projects across The 2006 Awards in May reflected the work Sergeant Brian McGibbon, of community Northern Ireland in conjunction with of the Service in the year under review. safety in Downpatrick, won the Lifetime Each winner received a £1,000 bursary Community Safety Partnerships. Achievement Award and Constable – £2,000 in the case of the Partnership This was the third year of the scheme Sharon Grattan, Newry and Mourne Award – to be spent on a policing with the Since its inception in Northern Ireland which was developed in association DCU, was Probationer of the Year. community initiative in his or her area. in September 1996, Crimestoppers has received more than 14,500 actionable calls leading to over 1,200 people being brought before the courts and ForeWorD the seizure and recovery of more than £2.25million worth of drugs and property. 2 CHIEF ConStaBle’S report 2005>06 TACKLING SERIOUS CRIME in partnership with colleagues from Crime Operations Newry and Mourne District, An Garda Department is headed Síochána and HM Revenue and Customs, by Assistant Chief conducted a major cross-border operation Constable (ACC) into alleged high level criminality and Peter Sheridan, suspected money and fuel laundering on CHILD ABUSE formerly ACC for Rural the Co Armagh/Co Louth border in March Region. He replaces 2006. A series of searches were conducted AND SERIOUS ACC Sam Kinkaid who in six locations in the Crossmaglen and retired earlier this year. Keady areas. The operation resulted in the SEXUAL ASSAULT seizure of 12 vehicles, 30,000 cigarettes, over £200,000 worth of cash, a large INVESTIGATIONS EnterING into its third year, Crime quantity of fuel and a large number of Operations Department conducts documents. Three people were arrested by professional and detailed investigations THE CHILD Abuse and Rape Enquiry also investigate cases where adults have An Garda Síochána in the joint operation. into all serious and organised crime in Unit (CARE) conducts specialised been the victim of a serious sexual assault. investigations into child abuse and serious Northern Ireland, including murder, In December 2005, officers from Organised terrorist offences, serious sexual assaults, sexual assaults. The following cases give an insight Crime Branch and Newry and Mourne into some of the major CARE organised criminal gangs, armed district police made a very significant robbery, extortion and drugs offences. CARE detectives are specially trained to investigations which resulted in counterfeit goods seizure worth just under interview children and vulnerable adults successful convictions in 2005/6: £1million during Operation Hambrock in The Department integrates all the and to progress effective investigations South Armagh in December. Large quantities professional disciplines required to deliver to bring offenders to justice. ● A 56 year old man pleaded guilty to of suspected counterfeit cigarettes, fireworks, highly effective investigations and manage 47 charges of indecent assault, inciting a alcohol, clothing, DVDs and computer intelligence on behalf of the organisation. There are currently 12 CARE teams in child to commit gross indecency, showing games were removed for examination Northern Ireland based at Willowfield, indecent images of a child, possessing There are seven specialist branches from 12 stalls and several premises. Lisburn Road, Woodbourne and North indecent images of a child and 20 in Crime Operations which deal with Queen Street in Belfast, Newtownabbey, specimen charges of making indecent particular areas of criminal activity, Newtownards, Ardmore (Newry), Mahon images of children. including Organised Crime, Serious Road (Portadown), Enniskillen, Maydown