In relation to Hate Crime targets that are set in the Annual Policing Plan how does the Policing Board accomodate for increased recording of Hate Crimes while acknowledging that levels of this particular type of crime may not be reduced.
In setting and agreeing targets for all catergories of crime in the Annual Policng Plan, the Policing Board recognises that for some catergories of crime, under reporting is an issue. In such instances the Policng Board would not set a target to reduce crime in that catergory. Rather, the Board would focus on how to increase confidence in the PSNI so as to encourage reporting of crime, such as Hate crime.
For example, to increase confidence in policing as a method to encourage reporting of crime, the Policing Board would set a target to improve the clearance rate of Hate Crime. The Policing Board may also encourage PSNI to develop outreach initiatives to engage with those communities affected by Hate Crime and to increase confidence levels among that community to report such crimes to the police.
Who defines the targets for the Annual Policing Plan and how they will be achieved? Are these targets really helping to improve performance?
The Annual Policing Plan is agreed annually between the PSNI Top Team and Members of the Policing Board. The plan is structured under a series of Domains, Objectives, Performance Indicators and Targets. In developing the Annual Policing Plan the PSNI and Policing Board give consideration to a range of factors such as previous PSNI performance, crime trends and analysis, community issues identified by the DPPs and Reference groups, and objectives identified by the Justice Minister. A ‘Strategy Event’ is facilitated by the Policing Board each year at which the PSNI and Policing Board agree the objectives and performance indicators for the plan.
Following on from this, PSNI and Policing Board Officials suggest targets which are then considered and agreed by the Policing Board and PSNI Top Team.
Once targets have been set in the Annual Policing Plan, the Policing Board’s role is then to receive reports on an ongoing basis and ensure that the PSNI are held to account for their performance against these targets.
What happens if the Chief Constable falls short on the targets in the Annual Policing Plan?
The Policing Board regularly monitors performance against the targets. If mid year targets are not being met there are opportunities for the Policing Board members to challenge the Chief Constable on why they are not being met and for measures to be put in place to address this. Ultimately at the end of each financial year the Policing Board will assess how the PSNI has performed against the plan and will publish a summary of the targets achieved / missed in the Policing Board's Annual Report.
