PSNI: report warns force needs to improve its management of offenders and suspects

The PSNI needs to improve its crime prevention and how it manages offenders and suspects, a new police watchdog inspection report revealed today (Wednesday).

And it warned that ongoing financial pressures facing the force were likely to have an impact on the service - if the issue was not tackled.

The report was carried out by His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services.

Meanwhile, responding to the report's findings, the Police Federation of Northern Ireland warned that officer numbers were "dangerously low" and that urgent action was needed.

It said the PSNI is "adequate" in preventing and deterring crime, antisocial behaviour and vulnerability; and that the service "requires improvement" in managing offenders and suspects.

Inspectors said the service should make sure neighbourhood officers are not diverted from their main duties to cover gaps in response teams.

HMICFRS said officers covering non-neighbourhood duties mean they cannot spend enough time carrying out visible patrols, working with local communities or doing preventative and problem-solving work.

The inspectorate also found that the child internet protection team does not have enough personnel to effectively manage its high workloads.

As a result of this, the team is unable to manage the number of referrals it receives from the National Crime Agency.

Inspectors also said there was a lack of adequate support for officers who managed violent and sexual offenders or investigated offences involving children.

The PSNI did not have psychological screening for officers in the offender investigation unit or the child internet protection team.

HMICFRS said it needs to provide better support for child abuse investigators, offender managers and their supervisors.

The inspectorate said financial pressures on the PSNI are limiting what the service is able to achieve.

Inspectors said that the findings of this inspection highlight that the service's capacity to provide a high-quality service to the public is under great strain.

His Majesty's Inspector of Constabulary Lee Freeman said: "I have concerns about the performance of the service in keeping people safe, preventing crime and providing victims with an effective service.

"The continued financial pressures facing the service, if unresolved, are likely to further affect the service it can provide."

The PSNI accepted the report, describing its findings as unsurprising.

Deputy Chief Constable Bobby Singleton said he hoped it would serve as a "wake-up call" for an increased financial allocation to the PSNI, adding that a lack of funding impacts the service's ability to protect the public.

He said: "The findings of this report are undoubtedly disappointing but they are not a surprise.

"They reflect the warnings that the Chief Constable has been issuing for some time now. Hopefully this report will achieve what thus far our lobbying has failed to do, and will be the wake-up call to properly fund the PSNI."

Mr Singleton said the report recognises the "unwavering professionalism and dedication" of the officers and staff of the PSNI.

However, he added: "The inspectorate findings are sadly evidence of what we have been repeatedly warning for some time - namely that less police inevitably leads to less policing and a greater risk of threat and harm to the public."

Mr Singleton said long-term underfunding has resulted in the lowest number of police officers in the service's history.

"This business case sets out a plan to recover police officer numbers to 7,000 with 2,572 police staff. Those numbers are still far below what is ultimately required. "

On the management of offenders, he said the inspectorate is clear that the child internet protection team, offender investigation units and victim identification and image grading team "require additional resources in order to try and keep pace with demand".

He added: "Immediate steps have been taken to address the identified backlogs in device examination and visits to offenders and significant improvements have been made.

"However, in the medium to longer term our ability to address the gaps in the areas identified by the report will depend on our ability to secure our recovery business case, recently approved by the Justice Minister and now with the Department of Finance."

Meanwhile, PFNI Chair Liam Kelly, reacting to the HMICFRS Report, said: “There is nothing in this assessment that is surprising or new.

"As our police officers are depleted, over-stretched and doing more with less, it’s inevitable that they and the services they provide to the public are suffering.

“We have led the call for adequate funding and increased officer numbers, but so far it seems our Ministers are not reacting positively to funding the irrefutable case that we and the Chief Constable have made.

“Our officers have commitment in abundance, but unless urgent steps are taken to fix what’s not working well, I foresee more of our talented men and women exiting their career in policing.

“We are dangerously low in numbers and it is unfair to expect our present officer cadre to continue to pick up the slack indefinitely. Burn out is a reality and it will only get worse if there isn’t prompt funding intervention soon.”