Public confidence in PSNI grows says survey

A report released today claims that the majority of people in Northern Ireland have increasing confidence in the PSNI.

The independent Omnibus Survey published by the Northern Ireland Policing Board found nearly 8 out of 10 people (79%) had confidence in the ability of the PSNI to provide an ordinary day-to-day policing service.

While 69% of respondents believed that the overall standard of policing in their area had remained the same over the last year, the number of people who felt that the situation had improved continued its upward trend from 6% in April 2002 to 10% in October 2003, and fewer people (18%) believed that it had got worse.

The findings are contained in the latest six-month survey on perceptions of the Policing Board and the delivery of policing services in Northern Ireland – including the District Policing Partnerships (DPPs).

Published a few days after Oversight Commissioner Tom Constantine in his final report stated that policing was moving steadily in the direction intended by the Independent Commission on Policing; Policing Board Chairman, Professor Desmond Rea welcomed the survey findings of what he described as "an encouraging and positive indicator of community attitudes to policing".

“The survey is a snap-shot in time and paints a picture of what the public thinks about a range of policing issues and the service they receive," Professor Rea said. "The Policing Board uses these results to monitor PSNI performance to see just how effective and efficient the police service is, and I welcome the increase in confidence the PSNI has generated”

Professor Rea also welcomed the finding that 70% of respondents thought that the Board helped to ensure that the PSNI did a good job, up 6 percentage points on April’s survey and as a result the Board has now met one of its Public Service Agreements.

Conducted by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency for the Board in September/October of this year, the survey also revealed that almost three quarters of people (72%) had some or total confidence that DPPs will help address local policing problems and that 64% would contact their DPP to raise an issue or ask a question about local policing.

(MB)