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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Police chief admits change needed | Police chief admits change needed |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| Changes are needed to get more officers involved in frontline policing, Assistant Chief Constable Judith Gillespie has said. | Changes are needed to get more officers involved in frontline policing, Assistant Chief Constable Judith Gillespie has said. |
| Ms Gillespie was speaking in response to a leaked internal police report which said the PSNI was not delivering an effective service. | Ms Gillespie was speaking in response to a leaked internal police report which said the PSNI was not delivering an effective service. |
| It said officers in districts spend an average of 61% of their time in stations on administrative tasks. | It said officers in districts spend an average of 61% of their time in stations on administrative tasks. |
| Ms Gillespie said they had an action plan to address the problem. | Ms Gillespie said they had an action plan to address the problem. |
| "We would acknowledge that we have far too many police officers engaged in routine admin duties," she said. | "We would acknowledge that we have far too many police officers engaged in routine admin duties," she said. |
| "We have identified this as the issue and we have identified how we want to move forward in that. | "We have identified this as the issue and we have identified how we want to move forward in that. |
| "I would think that, in the weeks and months ahead, people will see changes were we will see officers moved out of admin functions and into frontline services." | "I would think that, in the weeks and months ahead, people will see changes were we will see officers moved out of admin functions and into frontline services." |
| The report, entitled Strategic Review 2009: Making Choices for the Future, was compiled between March and May 2009 for the PSNI's senior command team and interviewed officers of all ranks. | The report, entitled Strategic Review 2009: Making Choices for the Future, was compiled between March and May 2009 for the PSNI's senior command team and interviewed officers of all ranks. |
| It was written by senior officers who were tasked with drawing up a strategic vision for the PSNI for the next three to five years. | It was written by senior officers who were tasked with drawing up a strategic vision for the PSNI for the next three to five years. |
| The report said the force had lost sight of what was important to communities. | The report said the force had lost sight of what was important to communities. |
| Crime strategy | Crime strategy |
| It said the PSNI did not provide "an effective 24-hour policing service" because officers were not deployed when and where needed. | It said the PSNI did not provide "an effective 24-hour policing service" because officers were not deployed when and where needed. |
| It also said the organisation appeared to have "insufficient information" on the factors that cause crime and that there was little evidence of it having an over-arching crime prevention strategy. | It also said the organisation appeared to have "insufficient information" on the factors that cause crime and that there was little evidence of it having an over-arching crime prevention strategy. |
| I welcome the fact that this report is an internal PSNI report and therefore an acknowledgement that these issues, raised by ourselves and others over a period of years, must be addressed Alex MaskeySinn Fein MLA | |
| The report also highlighted concerns within the force about how policing would be governed once policing and justice powers were devolved to the NI Assembly. | The report also highlighted concerns within the force about how policing would be governed once policing and justice powers were devolved to the NI Assembly. |
| "There is much uncertainty on how the tripartite relationship between the PSNI, the NIPB (Northern Ireland Policing Board) and Department of Justice will operate in practice," it said. | "There is much uncertainty on how the tripartite relationship between the PSNI, the NIPB (Northern Ireland Policing Board) and Department of Justice will operate in practice," it said. |
| The review team called for a fresh approach "to end the 9-5 culture which has developed in the organisation". | The review team called for a fresh approach "to end the 9-5 culture which has developed in the organisation". |
| It also said reducing budgets may mean the number of police officers may have to be reduced by 500 from the current level of 7,500. | It also said reducing budgets may mean the number of police officers may have to be reduced by 500 from the current level of 7,500. |
| Other issues highlighted included: | Other issues highlighted included: |
| • A focus on crime recording and not crime investigation. | |
| • Little discretion, or professional freedom, for officers dealing with offenders. | |
| • Officers complained of huge volumes of paperwork, with one recording a blog of his day and complaining of effectively having to work unpaid overtime to clear files. | |
| • Only 48% of crime is reported to police, with the public often thinking the police could not have achieved anything. | |
| The report is due to be discussed at a public meeting of the Northern Ireland Policing Board next week. | The report is due to be discussed at a public meeting of the Northern Ireland Policing Board next week. |
| "The internal review raises a number of issues which will require more detailed discussion with the Acting Chief Constable and the senior officer team," a board spokesperson said. | "The internal review raises a number of issues which will require more detailed discussion with the Acting Chief Constable and the senior officer team," a board spokesperson said. |
| Board member Basil McCrea, of the UUP, said that people will have noticed fewer officers on the beat. | Board member Basil McCrea, of the UUP, said that people will have noticed fewer officers on the beat. |
| "This is not really a critique of the police but the environment we put the police into," he said. | "This is not really a critique of the police but the environment we put the police into," he said. |
| "If we put them into a compliance orientated culture where there is more emphasis being placed on filling in forms about crime than actually solving crime - this is a challenge to society and the oversight bodies, not just to the police." | "If we put them into a compliance orientated culture where there is more emphasis being placed on filling in forms about crime than actually solving crime - this is a challenge to society and the oversight bodies, not just to the police." |
| Sinn Fein Policing Board member Alex Maskey said the report told nothing new and only highlighted what people had known for some time. | Sinn Fein Policing Board member Alex Maskey said the report told nothing new and only highlighted what people had known for some time. |
| He said: "Firstly, I welcome the fact that this report is an internal PSNI report and therefore an acknowledgement that these issues, raised by ourselves and others over a period of years, must be addressed." | He said: "Firstly, I welcome the fact that this report is an internal PSNI report and therefore an acknowledgement that these issues, raised by ourselves and others over a period of years, must be addressed." |