Policing Board unveil seven point plan

The Northern Ireland Policing Board has unveiled a seven point plan aimed at delivering effective and efficient policing across the province over the next three years.

Launching the 2004-2007 Policing Plan, Professor Desmond Rea, Chairman of the Northern Ireland Policing Board said the Plan "sets 'objectives, performance indicators and targets' for the PSNI that are designed to be challenging, realistic and most importantly will deliver the policing service that the Northern Ireland community needs".

Detailing how the PSNI will provide its service to the community for the next three years, Professor Rea said the Policing Plan sets out seven detailed objectives for the Police Service to meet during the year ahead including new targets to tackle racist and homophobic crime.

He added: “In producing the Plan we have used the results of the first District Policing Partnership (DPP) public consultation exercise, the largest ever single public consultation on policing yet undertaken in Northern Ireland. These findings provided an excellent input as they have helped inform where the community wish to see police effort concentrated during the coming year.

“This is an important step forward and through the work of the DPPs, the community is now at the heart of developing the policing priorities for the year, both in this plan and through the local planning process right across Districts in Northern Ireland. As a result we have focused on the issues and crimes that affect people’s daily lives."

The seven key policing objectives focus on crime issues such as burglary and vehicle theft, dealing with public disorder (including anti-social behaviour), reducing the number of road traffic collisions by tackling speeding, drink/drug driving and non-wearing of seatbelts. It also focuses on misuse of drugs, improving overall organisational effectiveness and continuing to implement the programme of change.

PSNI Chief Constable Hugh Orde described the Plan as a fundamental document which formed the framework for the policing service to be provided across Northern Ireland for the coming year. He said: “This is the first Policing plan which has had direct input from local District Policing Partnerships. The DPPs have greatly assisted us in understanding policing priorities at a local level by asking the community what the priorities for policing should be.

“DPP members have bravely carried on despite threats against them and the results of their survey have defined the issues which affect us all most - crime and the fear of crime, public order, accidents, drugs, the rule of law, police effectiveness and implementing the Service’s change programme."

The Policing Plan is produced in accordance with the Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2000. It is prepared by the Chief Constable, agreed by the Policing Board and endorsed by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

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