Statistics and Research Branch is staffed by statisticians on long term loan from the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency. It provides a professional, independent and impartial statistical and research service to Members and Officials of the Policing Board and District Policing Partnerships (DPPs).
Statistics and Research Branch:
- actions, maintains, reviews and updates the Policing Board’s Statistical and Research Strategy 2008-2012;
- undertakes internal and external survey work on behalf of the Policing Board, as detailed in the Policing Board’s Statistical and Research Strategy;
- commissions external research and survey work, where appropriate, on public perceptions of the Policing Board, the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), DPPs and other policing-related issues;
- collects and interprets statistical information that monitors performance indicators and targets contained in the Annual Policing Plan;
- provides routine and ad-hoc statistical and research advice, guidance and information to the Policing Board, four of its six sub-committees, Board Members and officials and DPPs. The Branch interprets relevant statistical, social research and survey information and publications for the above group;
- monitors and reports complaints against the PSNI (collected by the Office of the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland – OPONI), statistics on the use of CS Incapacitant Spray and PACE/JSA stops and searches (collected by the PSNI) and statistics on the Independent Custody Visiting Scheme (operated by the NIPB);
- provides statistical and research support to DPPs to enable them to monitor local policing performance and to carry out their public consultation exercises;
- conducts survey work and collects statistical information to assist the Policing Board in monitoring the effectiveness of DPPs;
The complete list of statistical publications and research reports published by the Branch are available in the Publications Section under Omnibus Surveys and Other Surveys and Research