Question
To ask the Chief Constable the view of the PSNI on the creation of a NI Crime Campus as with the Scottish Crime Campus in Gartcosh, North Lanarkshire with its co-location of Police Scotland, the NCA, the Scottish Prosecution Service, HMRC and Scottish forensic services dedicated to combatting serious and organised crime?
Answer
The PSNI recognises the potential benefits that can be achieved for victims and the wider community through multi-agency working.
The recent Joint Serious Sexual Offences Strategy launched on 23rd June demonstrates this commitment by setting out a shared, system wide approach by the PSNI and the PPS to improve the investigation and prosecution of serious sexual offences across Northern Ireland, bringing together existing and planned activity into a single framework and providing enhanced oversight, accountability and performance monitoring.
Having secured the new Redburn site in 2025, the focus in 2026/27 has been on securing site readiness and commencing planning and preparations for the new Police Training and Development College and Crime Campus on the site. This planning phase includes considering collaboration opportunities between policing, academia and partner agencies. Forensic Science Northern Ireland (FSNI) has made significant investment commitments to the PSNI site at Seapark Site with adjacency to PSNI led services. Commencement of the final phase of development on this site is planned to complete in 2028.
As proposals for a future Police College at Redburn continue to develop, PSNI will explore all opportunities to optimise co-location and strengthen operational and investigative capabilities by engage with partner agencies including HMRC and could form part of redevelopment plans for Redburn. Furthermore, PSNI are leaning into the National police reform programme, and the specific recommendations made by the Police Leadership Commission in July 2026 to consider future collaboration opportunities. Any future proposals will be subject to the appropriate business case, governance and funding approvals.
Colin McGrath - SDLP