11293 report 19 - CAIN - University of Ulster

A. Chapter SummaryBackgroundThe Independent Commission recommended a style of policing more rooted in the community,more accountable and transparent, and explicitly committed to the protection of human rights.They were convinced by their review of policing systems elsewhere that while this would provedifficult to implement, the key to success would be through management. There followed a seriesof recommendations calculated to provide the managerial tools to implement and sustain the corevalues of the report and to ensure the inevitability of the change process.The management style existing at the time of the Independent Commission report wascharacterised as hierarchical and bureaucratic. By contrast, policing with the community is adisaggregated style, succeeding best when decision-making is devolved as far as possible to thoseresponsible for delivering services to the community. The Independent Commission proposedfully devolved authority to district commanders for the deployment of personnel and control oflocal budgets. A series of proposals to ensure internal accountability described key managerialstrategies: the requisite levels of hierarchy with well-defined role descriptions; a process to holddistrict commanders accountable for patterns of crime and police activity; a fully effective personalperformance appraisal system; accurate and timely management information on complaints againstpolice; a system of random integrity checks; and a process that would ensure the removal ofineffective or incompetent officers.The Independent Commission also recommended adoption of limits to tenure in specialist poststo ensure that officers retain their contact with the core function of community policing. Policychanges to sickness absence management were meant to increase awareness of the causes ofabsence and facilitate steps to address them, with the logical consequences of having more officersavailable to policing. Concern was expressed for the tribulations of disabled officers and the plightof widows, with recommendations intended to support them financially and administratively. Itwas recommended that a rigorous programme of civilianisation be undertaken to replace policeofficers with civilians in jobs which do not require police powers, training or experience,exceptions being made only when it can be demonstrated that there is a good reason for a policeofficer to occupy the position. Lastly it was recommended that the Police Service pursueopportunities for the out-sourcing of certain support services and that the police estate besubject to a comprehensive audit.Progress and Accomplishments96Structural changes completed during the early process of organisational realignment removed alayer of management and installed a slimmed down command structure for rural and urbanregions. The Chief Constable’s policy on devolved authority described the empowerment ofcommanders. Since the introduction of devolved budgets the Police Service has successivelyreported that its expenditures are within the limits of budget appropriations, something which hadnot occurred in the many prior years when spending was heavily impacted by the unpredictabilityof the security situation. Devolved financial management is in a continuous process of refinement.Devolved decision-making over local deployment of personnel and local policing matters are