'Visible policing' a top priority for council area

Visible policing, anti-social behaviour, and rapid response are the top three issues of importance for Mid and East Antrim residents, a new report has revealed.
Archive image.Archive image.
Archive image.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland and Northern Ireland Policing Board announced the outcomes of the 2018 Local Policing Review consultation on Tuesday.

In 2018, PSNI and NIPB launched one of the largest ever public consultations on policing to ask for views of residents across Northern Ireland to help shape the future of local policing.

Some 4,328 individuals responded to an online simulator and more than 3,000 people attended one of the 87 regional consultation meetings.

An independent analysis of the feedback received was conducted by Ulster University and six priority headline actions were identified in the consultation response document, including visibility; neighbourhood policing; vulnerability and mental health; call handling; collaboration and multi-agency working; and competing policing demand.

The report included a breakdown by council area of the top three issues of importance, as well as the top three issues of improvement.

In Mid and East Antrim, this again included visible policing, alongside improved public relationships, and targeted policing.

The report also looked at issues such as charging for a police presence at large public events, as well as the potential for developing a social media reporting process.

PSNI Chief Constable Simon Byrne said: “You engaged and shared your views on the challenges faced and types of policing needed to effectively deal with vulnerability, crime and criminality in your area and we will now use this information to shape policing for the future and deliver the service you have asked for."

The full report is available at https://www.nipolicingboard.org.uk/