11293 report 19 - CAIN - University of Ulster

policing with the communityDPPs, complemented by police participation in local policing forums and a variety of otherengagements with local government, Community Safety Partnerships and other agencies.Efforts to promote innovation in policing with the community are supported by a £3M fundcreated in 2004 and made available over a three year period. The fund has contributed to theaward-winning Foyle Crime in the Schools programme, which resulted in a 21.5% reduction inproperty damage in its first six months and was extended to other schools in Foyle District.Another award-winning Get Home Safe programme in Belfast South is now complemented by aSafe Bus system, an innovation now practiced in other localities.The 2006 awards recognisedinnovative problem solving in Ballysally estate in Coleraine DCU and the Belfast City CentreProject was given a partnership award for an initiative where traders have funded two policeconstables for attention to unlawful street commerce. Several districts are encouraging thegrowth of Neighbourhood Watch programmes. In May of 2007, the latest in a series of yearlyPolicing with the Community Awards was held to celebrate the successes.Community Safety Branch updated its materials for the Citizen and Safety Education programme(CASE), which is presented in a large number of schools. There is also a growing emphasis on thereduction of hate crimes, and police officers are learning to engage more effectively with theincreasingly diverse language and cultural communities residing in Northern Ireland.The intention of the Chief Constable to establish a performance culture within DCUs has beenlargely accomplished, although early in the process performance indicators and targets werefocused more on quantitative rather than qualitative indicators. There is a well-recognisedproblem with sole reliance on quantitative indicators. For instance, as the police become moreadept and approachable in dealings with domestic violence and hate crimes, crime numbers andrates are bound to rise. This should not be interpreted as a failure, but as a positive development.A growing number of qualitative measures related to effectiveness are now available throughannual surveys conducted by the Policing Board and outreach through focus groups. Otherinfluences contributing to continuous improvement include inspections conducted by CriminalJustice Inspection Northern Ireland and the HMIC Baseline Inspections. The Northern IrelandHuman Rights Commission produced reports helpful in guiding policing style. A number of DCUcommanders conduct local quality assurance checks and surveys. Police links with DPPs, CPLCsand other forums have been strengthened through the efforts of the Policing Board working forthe enhancement of police relations with the community.Police Service policy now requires all uniformed officers and civilian Station Enquiry Assistants towear name badges. Exceptions may be approved on security grounds. Local Policing Plans arepublished each year and have been completed for 2007/2008, although not published as of April2007. The extent to which local concerns were reflected in the annual plan was a measure of theinfluence of the DPP and other community partnerships. Community police forums remainnumerous and effective, some with impressive records of achievement. There is an increasingreliance on funding obtained from Community Safety Partnerships.The multiple recommendations of the Best Value Patrol report are in the process of59