Select Committee on Northern Ireland Affairs Minutes of Evidence


Memorandum submitted by Hugh Orde, Chief Constable, Police Service of Northern Ireland

INTRODUCTION

I would just like to commence by thanking you for this opportunity to present evidence to the Committee on the functions and effectiveness of the Northern Ireland Policing Board. As you will be aware the Policing Board evolved from a principal recommendation in the Report of the Independent Commission on Policing in Northern Ireland—Patten Report. Its inception signalled a new beginning for police accountability within the Province.PROGRESS TOWARDS DEVELOPING THE ROLE OF THE POLICING BOARD

The primary role of the Policing Board is to ensure that the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) delivers an effective and efficient policing service, and one that secures the trust and confidence of the community. The Chief Constable also shares this aspiration and has no difficulty with the manner in which the Board holds him to account for the performance of the service in achieving this standard. In holding the Chief Constable to account for both his own actions and indeed those of the wider service, the Policing Board continues to do so in a manner that does not impinge on, or interfere with, his right to take independent policing decisions or exercise full operational responsibility in the provision of an independent and impartial policing service.

To ensure greater accountability and service quality at a local level, and in accordance with the requirements of the Police (NI) Act 2000, the Policing Board introduced District Policing Partnerships (DPPs) in March 2003. These independent bodies based in Council areas give voice to community views on the service we provide, as well as performing a useful monitoring role in assessing local police performance against both local and service-wide targets and objectives. The senior command team within PSNI continue to recognise and welcome the benefit of these partnership arrangements as they not only enable effective accountability and co-operation, but also appropriately reflect the service's ethos and policing style that is very much local based and community focussed. Many local members have suffered substantial intimidation and threat as a direct result of representing their communities on these Boards. They deserve great credit for their resilience and determination.

The role of the Policing Board extends well beyond an accountability function. In addition to holding the service to account for its efficiency and effectiveness against predetermined and agreed goals, the Board, is charged with the responsibility of ensuring that sufficient resources, both human and financial, are provided to PSNI so that it can deliver the standard of policing service expected. To date, the Board has generally responded favourably to the provision of such resources and to this end continues to engage with the service in a realistic and business-like manner. The PSNI/NIPB joint Human Resource Strategy should ensure that there are sufficient resources available to deliver effective policing, in keeping with the vision and style that the Independent Report on Policing in Northern Ireland (Patten Report) envisaged. The shared challenge is to make sure that officers and support staff are deployed in a manner that best supports the delivery of a frontline and effective service.

In February 2004 the Board approved the purchase of a site to accommodate the provision of a new Police Training College with a projected timescale for completion of Autunm 2007. The presence of such a modern and fully equipped college will undoubtedly enhance the quality of training delivered which, in turn, will enhance the quality of service provided by officers on the ground.

On a more general note, whilst the Chief Constable has no reason to doubt that each and every Member of the Policing Board has an interest in ensuring that PSNI provide an efficient, equitable and effective service to the entire community within Northern Ireland, he holds the view that engagements with the Board could be even more constructive and meaningful if Members representing political appointees could adopt a less partisan approach when introducing or discussing matters of mutual interest or concern. Patten clearly envisaged a police service that was free from politics, however it is clear that we are still some way off that position for the time being.

This bias often manifests itself in politically motivated statements rather than questions being directed at the Chief Constable and his senior colleagues, and the tendency to focus on political rather than real or organisational issues. With the absence of the Assembly and other political institutions, Members belonging to political parties sometimes use their position within the Board as an opportunity and platform to publicly promote their own political aspirations, as opposed to examining and debating issues in an independent and constructive manner.

It is important that a healthy tension exists between the Policing Board and the senior command within PSNI, and this largely reflects the current position. For both organisations to function effectively it is vitally important that there continues a sense of engagement rather than disengagement; of cooperation rather than obstruction and that objectivity is retained in determining all issues falling within our joint remit. As a greater knowledge, awareness and understanding of policing has developed within the Board and its Members, the quality and level of interaction has increased constantly over time.

There have been a small number of instances where sensitive information was discussed in either private sessions with the Board under a clear understanding of confidentiality, were shortly thereafter divulged to third parties, including members of the press. Such indiscretions and inappropriate breaches of trust are detrimental to the relationship. The existence of mutual trust and confidentiality is paramount. This matter has been solved by such information now being shared with small groups of the Board as appropriate.PERFORMANCE OF THE POLICING BOARD IN RESPECT OF ITS GENERAL FUNCTIONS

The general functions of the Northern Ireland Policing Board are as set out in Section 3 of the Police (NI) Act 2000, and are as follows: (i) To ensure that the police service is efficient and effective, holding the Chief Constable to account for all his actions and those of his staff;

The Board assesses the efficiency and effectiveness of the service, as well as holding the Chief Constable and his officers to account, through:

    (a) Public Meetings: The Board is required to hold at least eight meetings in public in each year, but in practice held 10 in 2003-04. At the meetings the Chief Constable provides a report to the Board on key policing issues and the Board in turn present questions on issues relating to policing generally or our performance particularly. These meetings allow the public to see the accountability mechanisms working and are conducted in an open and transparent manner. Since his appointment the Chief Constable has attended every one of these sessions apart from one.
    (b) Board Committees: In addition to the Policing Board monthly meetings, the majority of the Board's work is carried out through seven committees. The committees monitor the work of the PSNI in detail. Each committee has a particular portfolio and responsibility as follows:
Corporate Policy;Human Resources;Audit and Best Value;Human Rights and Professional Standards;Finance and General Purposes;Community Involvement Committee; andPress and Public Relations.

Some concern exists as to the present structural arrangements of the various committees, which are modelled more on that of a local District Council rather than being aligned to the current operational and departmental structure within PSNI. It is the view of the Chief Constable that such a realignment would not only significantly enhance the Board's ability to hold the service to account, but would also generate clearer lines of communication and understanding between both organisations.

The absence, for instance, of a committee responsible for examining issues relating to Crime Operations Department, or serious or organised crime generally, necessitates debate and questions, on sometimes very sensitive issues, being aired at monthly public meetings. Consequently, the service's responses and ability to actively engage are often limited due to further exposition being considered inappropriate and untimely.

    (c)Policing Plan: The Board is responsible for issuing a Policing Plan for Northern Ireland. The Plan shows how the PSNI intends to provide a policing service to the community and one of the Board's key roles is holding the PSNI to account for performance against the plan. The Board monitors performance as follows:
    —Through quarterly performance reports by the Chief Constable,
    —Assessment of reports provided at its monthly meetings in public,
    —The work of the Board's committees,
    —By asking questions on specific issues, and
    —Through the work of the District Policing Partnerships.

In order that matters of mutual interest or concern receive due attention by both senior command within PSNI and Board Members, it is vitally important that each body is well represented when such occasions arise. Unfortunately, this is not always the case with the Board, on occasions, being significantly under-represented in contrast to the senior police delegation. (ii) To monitor police effectiveness in tackling crime;

The Board's Policing Plan referred to at (iii) above sets out objectives and targets to be achieved by the PSNI and how the Board monitors performance across all areas, including our effectiveness in tackling crime. The Board's Annual Review and Report sets out the Board's assessment of police performance during the previous financial year and, in respect of crime, the last report clearly indicated those areas in which the service exceeded or met targets and those areas where we underperformed. The Chief Constable continues to welcome such comment and honest feedback from the Board, who, in his view, meet this particular responsibility with candour and efficiency.

The Board has consistently demonstrated a keen interest in the evolution of Crime Operations Department, which is basically an amalgam of the previous Criminal Investigation Department and Special Branch. Over the past 12 months Members of the Board have generated frequent enquiries and received regular updates on the status of the service's response to critical reports such as Crompton, Blakely and Stevens. Again this is important as such independent scrutiny in this difficult area of policing reassures the public. (iii) To monitor the performance of the police in carrying out their general duties, in complying with the Human Rights Act 1998 and to assess the effectiveness of the Board's Code of Ethics;

The Human Rights and Professional Standards Committee within the Board is responsible for monitoring the performance of PSNI in complying with the Human Rights Act 1998 and for ensuring that high ethical and professional standards are maintained.

In February 2003 the Policing Board published a new Code of Ethics for PSNI that sets out the non-negotiable standards of behaviour expected of members of the PSNI. The Code is based on the European Convention on Human Rights. Since its publication, the Board has developed a human rights monitoring framework, as well as employing two Human Rights Advisers to assist in this important area of mutual interest. Good progress has been made in gathering the information required to make an informed and valid assessment of the service's compliance with the Act. The Board's first report on compliance with the Human Rights Act will be published in 2005. An interim report on the Ardoyne Shopfronts again showed just how accountable and transparent the PSNI is.

The Board's Community Involvement Committee monitors reports emanating from the Custody Visitor Scheme, which was established to ensure that the treatment of detainees in police custody is fully commensurate with the provisions of the Police and Criminal Evidence (NI) Order 1989, The Human Rights Act and the Code of Ethics. (iv)To keep itself informed of trends and patterns in police complaints, recruitment to the police service and the extent to which membership of the police service is representative of the community in Northern Ireland;

The Board recognizes the importance of ensuring that any behaviour falling short of the high professional and ethical standards expected of officers is dealt with appropriately, and that any learning is disseminated throughout the service. The Board examines and analyses internal disciplinary cases, officers on suspension and compensation claims against the service. To this end, the Board meets regularly with the Police Ombudsman's Office and with Internal Investigations Branch within PSNI.

The Board's Human Resources Committee monitors the work of PSNI's Human Resources Department. The Board monitors trends and patterns in recruitment and promotes and supports efforts to secure a more representative police service in Northern Ireland. The Board recognises that if the PSNI is to be representative of the community that it serves, a key component is a successful recruitment programme that achieves the PSNI goal to appoint 540 officers annually on a basis 50% Catholic and 50% non-Catholic. The Board has monitored the six recruitment competitions run by PSNI's recruitment agency. The competitions have resulted in over 30,000 applications with almost 36% of applications coming from Catholics and 37% from females. The Chief Constable shares the Board's view that the appointment of independent Community Observers has positively contributed to the integrity and independence of the process.

In a similar vein, the Board's Human Resources Committee monitors the progress of the civilian recruitment programme as part of its overall Human Resources Planning Strategy. (v) To assess the level ofpublic satisfaction with the performance of the police and the District Policing Partnerships;

In 2003 the Policing Board carried out the largest public consultation on policing; 60,000 households across Northern Ireland, or one in 10 homes, received the Board's survey. In addition to supporting the Board's work, this survey was designed to help the District Policing Partnerships (DPPs) identify key issues of community concern in each council area. The Board commissioned a second survey in March 2004 which further examined community perceptions of the performance and efficiency of not only PSNI, but also of DPPs and the Policing Board itself. In addition to the public consultation surveys alluded to, the Board canvasses the opinions of key people within the community concerning the efficiency and effectiveness of both the police service and the local District Policing Partnership.

The findings from these surveys and other forms of consultation help inform the debate when determining policing priorities and formulating annual policing plans.THE EFFICIENCY AND EFFECTIVENESS OF THE STRUCTURE, ADMINISTRATION AND EXPENDITURE OF THE BOARD, INCLUDING ITS PERFORMANCE AGAINST KEY INDICATORS AND TARGETS

The Board and its committees are supported by a 60-strong team of officials under the stewardship of a Chief Executive. The staffing structure comprises a number of branches each headed by a Director. The Chief Constable has no reason to question the efficiency or effectiveness of these arrangements either in terms of the support each directorate provides to the Board and its committees, or in terms of the interaction with his own office in particular or with the service in general. In the 2003-04 financial year the cost of the Policing Board was £6.4 million of which £2.4 million related to District Policing Partnership costs.November 2004





 
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