03/04/2009

Policing Board Welcomes Number Of PSNI Applications

There's been no shortage of applicants for the police, despite the recent highly publicised escalation in the dangers involved - and the tragic murder of one serving officer on duty.

The Chairman of the Northern Ireland Policing Board, Professor Sir Desmond Rea, has welcomed a report from the Chief Constable that the number of applicants seeking to join the PSNI is higher than ever. He said that the 15th recruitment campaign that has just closed attracted the highest number of applications so far.

"This underlines the message that the PSNI continues to be an attractive career choice right across the community," he said.

"Community confidence in the police service continues to grow and this is evidence of the community's desire to have access to a fully accountable and representative policing service," he said.

Meanwhile, the Board has also just welcomed the publication of the latest inspection report Criminal Injustice Inspection (CJI) of Policing with the Community (PwC) in Northern Ireland.

Board Chairman Professor Sir Desmond Rea commented: "This comprehensive report of PSNI performance shows that good progress has been made but recognises that there are a number of areas where further progress is needed.

"Policing with the Community is a priority issue for the Board and this commitment is clearly set out in the latest Policing Plan published," he said, noting that Neighbourhood Policing Teams (NPTs) are now in place right across Northern Ireland.

However, he added a note of caution: "Using neighbourhood officers to cover other policing duties has been a concern of the Board in the past and this is an area that is now closely monitored.

"But having the neighbourhood policing teams in place is only the first step in delivering the vision of neighbourhood policing," he said.

Responding to the obvious dangers associated with the current climate of dissident republican activity, he said that the Board acknowledges that the policing environment in which the PSNI must operate is challenging at this time.

"However, there is a unity of purpose and resolve within PSNI and the Board to continue to improve performance and to provide the style of policing which the public want and deserve. This style is community focused. The community want a good policing service and want to engage with the police to get it," he commented.

(BMcC/JM)

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