The PSNI chief constable Hugh Orde has been given 12 months toachieve higher public confidence in his officers as public confidence in the force drops.
The Policing Board has demanded urgent action to halt a slide in satisfactionrates.
In the last 18 months the number of people who think the Police Service ofNorthern Ireland do a good job has dropped from 69% to 61%.
Under the new Policing Plan published today, PSNI chiefs have beenchallenged to achieve a 9% increase in approval figures.
The force also faces major challenges to slash crime rates and increasedetection levels, clamp down on sickness and press ahead with a civilianisationprogramme aimed at getting hundreds more officers out of administrative work andon to patrol.
Board chairman Professor Desmond Rea claimed the budget put at Mr Orde'sdisposal meant the demands set could be met.He said: 'These are huge monies by any standard and it's very important theyare monitored closely.'But we believe all of these targets are realistic and achievable.'
The 2003/2004 plan was negotiated by senior PSNI officers and board members.It will see the 26 new District Policing Partnerships (DPPs) scrutiniseprogress for the first time through close liaison with local commanders.The 46-page document contains four main objectives set by the board and theBritish government.
These are: promoting safety and reducing disorder; cutting crime and fear ofcrime; delivering justice in a way that achieves public confidence; andimplementing the programme of change.
Under each of these main aims, the PSNI have been set a range of targets thatmust be met over the next year.With the North still vulnerable to outbreaks of violence, Mr Orde has beentold he must increase public confidence in policing disorder from 69% to 75%.He has also been set a goal to get satisfaction levels in patrolling up from38% to above 45%.
Other goals police are now working to over the next 12 months include:
- reducing domestic burglaries and car thefts by 5% each (compared to 3% and2% respectively last year)
- achieving 55% detection rate for violent crimes
- set a baseline figure for the number of racist and homophobic crimes
- monitor domestic violence rates
- increased illegal drugs seizures and the number of charges made by police
- process 85% of custody cases in 90 days and 85% of bail cases in 110 days.Although shocking sickness levels which were running at an average of 1,000officers off every day last year have been cut to 684, the new plan includesdemands to keep a lid on absenteeism.
The chief constable has also been urged to press ahead with a process ofcivilianisation in order to get another 650 officers out from behind stationdesks and on the beat.
Prof Rea pledged to scrutinise PSNI efforts in the months to come and hold theservice to account if objectives were not met.However, he warned that the plan may be wrecked if ongoing paramilitaryactivity and rioting along Belfast's flashpoints drains police resources.'These are two things that could skew this,' he admitted.
Mr Orde stressed the close relations between the DPPs and his districtcommanders was crucial to the PSNI's success.
Local empowerment will lead to improved performance within the service, heclaimed.
PA