How is preventative work in communities for less serious crime and anti-social behaviour measured and analysed by PSNI, to help inform its resourcing needs and deployment of resources. How does this this approach relate to PSNI’s local community policing strategy?
There are a number of ways in which recorded instances of less serious crime and anti-social behaviour are monitored by PSNI. It is important to emphasise that whilst referred to as ‘less’ serious crime and anti-social behaviour, the PSNI understands that these crimes are highly significant for victims of such incidents and have a detrimental impact on the quality of life of individuals and communities.
Equally, the development of the Corporate Performance Management Framework seeks to use an Outcomes Based Approach to capture a wider range of police and partner activity in performance reporting. This will include preventative work.
The development of an Evidence Based Policing Unit will ensure that effective preventative work is identified and disseminated to the wider organisation.
I have already covered in my report the key element of our preventative work through the introduction of Multi-Agency Support Hubs in all Districts.
The following activity occurs in respect of the monitoring of levels of less serious crime and anti-social behaviour and the police and partner response to it:
Service Level - The Corporate Performance Management Framework assesses all recorded crime categories as well as ASB, applying a variety of analytical techniques and tools to identify trends and hotspots. This is reported, monitored and actioned through the Service Performance Board. The Service Tasking and Coordination Group, chaired by ACC Hamilton and ACC Gray, monitors the overall policing response to identified Service Priorities using the OBA questions to measure success – “How much did we do?”; “How well did we do it?”; And “What difference did we make?”. Examples of the Reporting Cards can be provided to the Committee for their information.
Area Level - Volume crime and ASB is reported on at monthly Area Tasking and Coordination Group meetings (TCGs) and in Tactical Assessments. The Tactical Assessments are used to identify patterns, trends, hotspots etc. Priorities are agreed and actioned, taking into account resourcing needs and deployment of resources. The results of actions and work against priorities (including preventative activity) are assessed and reported back to the Area Coordinator through the monthly TCG meetings and monthly performance meetings.
District – All Districts monitor volume crime and ASB through monthly Performance meetings and Local Policing Plans which have been agreed between Local District Commanders and PCSPs. Problem solving initiatives / folders also include prevention and assessment strands.
Effective preventative work is also commissioned and monitored by local Police and Community Safety Partnerships, as was evidenced at the PCSP Community Safety Awards, held at Stormont on Wednesday the 29th May 2019. This showcased a wide range of innovative and impactful early intervention and prevention projects delivered by the PCSPs in collaboration with Police and other partners.
The monitoring and evaluation of new preventative initiatives is part of any Project Plan. For example, the PSNI continue to report to the Board on the effectiveness and impact of the Support Hubs, as well as their rollout to new Districts.
As we look to a new Policing Plan, it is hoped that the adoption of an Outcomes Based Approach, and alignment to Programme for Government, will allow for the more effective capturing and reporting of the full range of preventative work undertaken by the PSNI in partnership with others, and the impact that it is having on achieving our objective of Keeping People Safe.