The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) and Northern Ireland Policing Board (NIPB) have today Tuesday 5 November announced the outcomes of the 2018 Local Policing Review consultation.
In 2018 PSNI and NIPB launched one of the largest ever public consultations on policing to ask for views of residents across Northern Ireland to help shape the future of local policing.
4,328 individuals responded to our online simulator and more than 3,000 people attended one of the 87 regional consultation meetings.
An independent analysis of the feedback received was conducted by Ulster University and six priority headline actions have been identified in the consultation response document.
The headline actions are:
• Visibility;
• Neighbourhood Policing;
• Vulnerability and Mental Health;
• Call Handling;
• Collaboration and Multi-Agency Working; and
• Competing Policing Demand.
The response document identifies a comprehensive programme of work that aims to deliver change in these areas of local policing and inform the Northern Ireland Policing Plan and Local Policing Plans moving forward.
PSNI Chief Constable Simon Byrne said: “You engaged and shared your views on the challenges faced and types of policing needed to effectively deal with vulnerability, crime and criminality in your area and we will now use this information to shape policing for the future and deliver the service you have asked for.
“Through your feedback we recognise your strong desire for a policing service that is responsive to local needs and visibly connected into local areas and issues. We have already begun work on a number of the actions with an increase in neighbourhood police officers, consultation on a review of police uniform and protective equipment and participation in the Health in Criminal Justice Steering Group.
“We are fully committed to delivering all actions outlined in the response document and the collective desire, of ourselves and the Board, is to be innovative in finding solutions, successful in our partnerships and effective in increasing collaborative working with the community.”
The Chair of the NIPB, Professor Anne Connolly, added: “We were hugely encouraged by the willingness of people and organisations across the public, private and voluntary sectors to engage with us during the consultation and the feedback received reinforced for us the importance of policing in our community.
“The findings of the consultation will now inform the Northern Ireland Policing Plan and Local Policing Plans moving forward.
“We want to see the best possible policing service for the community and hope that the actions now being taken forward provide assurance of our commitment to that.”
***
The Local Policing Review 2018 consultation ran for 10 weeks, from 30 August, 2018 to 9 November, 2018.
The full report is available at www.nipolicingboard.org.uk or www.psni.police.uk.
The response document encompasses six headline actions and 45 delivery actions which will be led by the PSNI or NIPB or in partnership by both organisations.
The response document will be supported by a detailed implementation plan which will serve as the basis for the NIPB to hold the PSNI to account on delivery.
