Looking back and looking forward

This will more than likely be my last blog of 2010 and as I look back on 2010 and plan ahead for 2011 and beyond, I reflect on a year of many challenges, rewards and frustrations , and look forward to a year full of both challenge and promise.

Over the past year I sense more than ever that the Police Service of Northern Ireland has begun to establish its own identity and demonstrate that it is a police service which can be trusted and respected. It is hard to take in that the PSNI is almost 10 years old. Trust and confidence must be earned, and I believe in many areas we are seeing that relationship of trust building in very tangible ways.

Ultimately it is our delivery of a personal, professional and protective policing that will be the deciding factor in earning and retaining your support , and you will rightly hold us to account on that.

As I reflect, I think of the worrying increase in the threat from terrorists. I think of the officers who have been injured and I am mindful of the very significant efforts of your police service to keep everyone safe.

This has been a very difficult and costly task - both in terms of the personal cost borne by injured officers and members of the community who themselves have suffered at the hands of terrorists.

Just last night, two days before Christmas, the home of a police officer and his family was targeted in County Fermanagh, my thoughts are with them.

I assure you that we are, and remain, absolutely determined to do all we can to counter this threat and to keep people safe.

We operate in a unique policing environment, but despite the challenges we have continued to deliver many successes over the past year.

By way of example, between January and October this year, there were 169 terrorist related arrests with 59 people charged. This compares to a total of 17 people charged during all of 2009.; over 90 crime gangs have been frustrated, disrupted or dismantled ; whilst one road death is too many, road traffic fatalities have been considerably reduced; over 570 additional police officers have been deployed to the front line; we've seen a huge growth in Neighbourhood Watch Schemes; and perhaps a first in UK policing , we've seen stolen property recovered as a result of one of our Facebook initiatives.

We are not complacent and we acknowledge that many of our successes are a direct result of the relationship which we have developed and the support which we continue to receive from all parts of the community right across Northern Ireland. Your continued support will ensure that we can continue to deliver the type and style of policing which we all want and deserve.

As I plan over the next few weeks to spend a little more time with my family and friends, I look forward to 2011 and working with you all to build on the progress which we have made.

Thank you for your support over the past year. I encourage you all to take care and be responsible when you are out and about over the next few weeks.

I wish you all a very enjoyable and peaceful Christmas and New Year.

Look out for one another

Over the past week Northern Ireland has experienced the lowest temperatures on record, with some places recording temperatures as low as minus 12 degrees.

Although many areas are beginning to experience milder temperatures, many places remain covered in a blanket of ice and snow - and forecasters are predicting more snow on the way next week.

Sadly the roads have claimed a number of lives over the past week and my thoughts are with those who have lost family members and friends in these collisions. In the run up to Christmas, this is particularly poignant.

I know the Roads Service has been working around the clock to help ensure that the main routes, and where possible some minor roads, are kept as clear as possible. We owe them our thanks for the difficult task which they undertake, often in very treacherous conditions, to help keep us all safe.

By only venturing out when journeys are absolutely necessary, allowing plenty of time for our journey, reducing our speed, keeping our distance, using our headlights and fog lights when appropriate, clearing windscreens fully and making sure our lights, washer bottles, wipers etc are all working properly we can all help keep each other safe. And of course we should never, ever drink and drive.

I was greatly encouraged by the sense of community and concern which I heard about earlier this week, as the people of a small West Belfast community gave away free thermal clothing to their older neighbours. This was a really practical and thoughtful thing to do.

During last year’s winter months it is estimated that more than 1,000 people aged over 65 died due to the winter weather. With even colder temperatures, much earlier in the winter period, there is a very real risk of this number increasing.

Many older people really struggle during periods of extreme cold. I was recently told of a story where a lady in a Belfast shopping centre saw two older people having a packed lunch. When they were asked what they were doing, they explained that they come to the centre and bring a lunch with them so they don’t have to put their heating on.

We all know of older family members or neighbours who are vulnerable. Whilst it is good to check in with them throughout the year, it is even more important at this time to regularly call and check to make sure that they are warm, that they wear lots of layers of clothes and that they have sufficient food in their homes so that they do not have to venture out onto slippery surfaces.

In the business of life, especially in the run-up to Christmas, it’s often easy to overlook those who need our help the most. Let’s all be really good neighbours this Christmas.

Be safe this Christmas

It seems no time at all since last Christmas. While many people are only starting their preparations for the festive season now, your Police Service started the planning process many months ago.

A series of Police operations, designed to help keep you safe as you go about your Christmas activities have already begun.

This is one of the busiest times of the year with a huge influx of people visiting our city and town centres to socialise and shop. With greater numbers of people, comes the increased risk of opportunistic criminals attempting to steal money, commit fraud and break into people homes and businesses to take goods and gifts.

Police will do as much as possible, not only make you feel safe but keep you safe. Over the next few weeks we will be prioritising patrols to keep people safe when they are out socialising, to protect homes from being targeted for burglary, to prevent motoring offences in order to reduce fatal and serious injury crashes and to detect and frustrate acts of terrorism.

The effectiveness of our operation depends on the support we receive from you all. You can help us by:

Be Safe - Protect Your Property

• Don’t leave gifts on display, and remember when you are leaving the house or going to bed to close, lock and check all your doors and windows and set your alarm
• If anyone calls at your house you are unsure of, don’t let them in – always ask for ID
• If you are going away over Christmas inform your neighbour and ask local Police to put your details in the vacant house register
• Be alert to the possibility of a thief snatching your handbag or mobile phone
• Take care when taking out cash at an ATM. Consider using your switch card to get cash back at a till
• Park in a well-lit area or an attended car park and never leave parcels or valuables in view in a car
• Call in and make sure any older relatives and neighbours are doing ok

Be Safe - Get Home Safe

• If you are going to drink alcohol, drink responsibly
• Plan your journey home in advance
• Stay in well lit, familiar areas
• Don't become separated from your friends
• Never accept a drink from someone you don't know
• Always have enough money to get yourself home

Be Safe - Never, Ever Drink and Drive

• Our message to road users is very simple. Drinking and driving kills, maims, wrecks families and communities
• Our aim is to save lives and reduce injuries
• We will have operations which will run day and night throughout the Christmas period

Together we can ensure that you have a safe, peaceful and very enjoyable Christmas.

People do not decide to become extraordinary… They decide to accomplish extraordinary things

I was delighted to have had the opportunity to speak at a number of events last week. Two of these were almost exclusively female audiences, made up of senior representatives from organisations spanning the public and private sectors.

Hannah Shields was the keynote speaker at Friday’s Visible Women event being run by Ards and North Down Borough Councils. Hannah, from Kilrea, was the first ever women from Northern Ireland to conquer Mount Everest. She has a quite remarkable and fascinating tale of personal perseverance, determination and passion to achieve her own personal goal.

We can all think of at least one person who has influenced or inspired us - a parent, friend, colleague or complete stranger. Perhaps, not surprisingly, Hannah referred to Sir Edmund Hilary who said: “People do not decide to become extraordinary. They decide to accomplish extraordinary things.”

When we actually think about it, every single one of us has our own personal challenges to overcome. And whilst very few of us will ever climb Mount Everest, every day ordinary people achieve extraordinary things.

People who give up their own time to work in communities as volunteers for example. People who work with children and young people who may be at risk.

Perhaps one of the biggest life challenges is to be a parent. You can train for months and then undertake a physical challenge, but sons and daughters are for life. As parents we are extremely powerful people - and although sometimes we may not think it, our potential to influence our children is a lifetime one.

Whilst most crime is committed by adults, and often young people are victims of crime, unfortunately as a Police Service we all too often come into contact with children or young people who have become involved in criminality or have been drawn into risky situations by their peers.

Recent incidents of public disorder are a prime example. Of course, not everyone involved in the disorder was a young person, and it was clear that there were individuals seeking to influence younger people and place them at real risk in these situations.

Our desire is not to criminalise young people. Where possible and appropriate, we want to give those who have been caught committing crime another chance.

Most importantly, we need the support of parents to prevent young people getting involved in risky situations in the first place. Make sure you know where your children are and who they are with. Young people also need to recognise that their actions now can have a significant impact on their future.

I certainly want a future Northern Ireland free from violence, fear, discrimination and division for my children.

Together we can make real progress towards achieving that goal.

Success, challenge and support

On Monday last week, the Police Service of Northern Ireland collected two National Pay Roll Giving Awards, Best Public Sector and Best Overall UK Campaign, at a reception at HM Treasury in London.

On Thursday last week, your Police Service was recognised at the Jane’s Police Review Gala Awards in London.

Sergeant Brian Caskey was awarded third place in the Community Police Officer of the Year category, Inspector John Kinkead came second in the Lifetime Achievement in Policing Award and the Unite Against Hate campaign was awarded third place in the Diversity in Action Award.

These successes contrast sharply with the attempted murder of three police officers on Friday evening, as they were carrying out their normal duties – duties their colleagues were recognised and rewarded for carrying out the previous evening.

Terrorists once again showed their complete disregard for the safety of not just the police officers they clearly wanted to kill, but anyone who might have been in the area at that time. The device used was a military type grenade designed to fragment on detonation and kill anyone within a ten-metre radius.

Shrapnel was recovered over a large area and was found embedded in the shutters of local premises.

Thankfully none of the officers were seriously injured. One officer had to remain in medical care and underwent a series of operations on his arm, but I am delighted to report that he was released from hospital earlier today.

I know that all right thinking people will join with me in wishing each of the officers a full and speedy recovery.

These officers were out delivering a service to the local community, responding to a call for assistance from a local shop owner who had been robbed. They were carrying out an investigation to identify the person responsible and ensuring that the local community was protected from serious harm.

Our success in winning a variety of national awards is further recognition of the professionalism, determination and generosity of your police officers and staff who work daily in a truly unique and very challenging policing environment.

No other police service in the UK operates in a policing environment like Northern Ireland. And to be the only police service to pick up three awards, together with the Payroll giving award was a truly outstanding achievement.

Friday evening could have so easily had a different outcome. Police officers, local people, including young people and children in the area at the time of this attack could have been seriously injured or killed.

Our investigation into the robbery and attempted murder is ongoing and we are determined to identify those responsible.

I appeal for your support, not just in this investigation, but for the officers who day and daily continue to deliver a personal, professional and protective policing service despite the significant challenges.

Wear it Pink

Tomorrow (29 October) the Police Service is supporting the Breast Cancer campaign 'Wear it Pink’.

Every year, thousands of loved ones are affected by breast cancer. Having lost somebody very special to me through Cancer, I am delighted that all across the Service, police officers and staff are wearing something pink in support of this very worthy cause.

Obviously police officers, in uniform, will be limited as to the degree of their pinkness Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK and accounts for nearly one in three of all cancers in women.

At around 12,000 deaths annually, it is the second biggest cause of death from cancer of women. Alarmingly one woman in nine will be diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime.

But did you know that men can also suffer from breast cancer and, although it is rare, almost 300 men (in the UK) are diagnosed each year and around 90 men a year die from breast cancer.

The good news is that survival rates for breast cancer have improved significantly over the last 20 years and the most recent figures show around 80 per cent of women in the UK diagnosed today will be alive in five years time.

The increased survival rate is largely due to increased awareness of breast cancer, the introduction of the screening program and the successes of breast cancer research, which have led to improved treatments that are now available.

This is just one example of the long tradition of very generous charitable giving by the Police Service of Northern Ireland. In fact very recently we won a National Pay Roll Giving Excellence Award in recognition of the number of police officers and staff who donate monthly to a nominated charity of their choice.

You won't often read about the generosity of police officers and staff in the media, but just as we tangibly deliver a police service every day of the week, in the background we also financially support those who need help and support of a different nature.

So I hope tomorrow you will join with your Police Service, family members, friends and colleagues to 'Wear it Pink’.

Engaging with local communities

With my daily commitments, regrettably I don’t get the opportunity to get out and about and meet members of the public as often as I’d like to.

However, last night (Thursday) I was in Craigavon, which is a busy and challenging policing environment, to meet with members of the local District Policing and Community Safety Partnerships.

Members were there at the invitation of the local District Commander, Chief Superintendent Alasdair Robinson, to hear more about the challenges of delivering a personal, professional and protective policing service on a daily basis.

Perhaps one of the most impactive presentations of the evening was a snap shot of the late duty shift (4.00pm – 12.00midnight) on 22 February 2010. It would take too long to rehearse every detail but during this time police officers across ‘E’ district (Armagh, Banbridge, Newry and Mourne and Craigavon) were dealing with 93 different incidents. In fact, across Northern Ireland in the same shift there were 581 incidents – that’s just over one reported incident every minute.

Within ‘E’ District these ranged from reports of antisocial behaviour, six people missing, thefts, suspicious vehicles, road traffic collisions, a substantial illicit drugs factory – and in the background, the district call management centre were carefully considering and prioritising each call to ensure an appropriate level of response based on the risk to the caller and the risk to the police officers attending.

In the middle of everything else that was going on, at around 10.00pm, a bomb call was received to Newry Court House and immediately, significant resources needed to be reprioritised to deal with this incident. At 10.37pm the bomb exploded whilst police were still clearing the area.

What the Commander, and his colleagues, had to say last night was important - but the purpose of the evening was as much about listening to the representatives present.

We fully acknowledge the importance of listening to you and your elected and community representatives –after all policing is a partnership. As we move towards considering our policing plan for next year in partnership with the Policing Board, we need to consider what you see as your policing priorities and concerns for the year ahead. We also need to listen, learn and act when your experience of policing falls short of your expectations.

We face challenges daily in every district across Northern Ireland. However, I have used the example from E District to illustrate the diversity of incidents which may occur.

We want to deliver a quality police service for everyone – and we will continue to work hard to do that, in spite of all of the challenges we face.

Your support and assistance is critical to making sure that we work effectively, which in turn allows us to have the right people in the right place at the right time to deliver the personal, professional and protective police service that you quite rightly require and deserve.

For the next generation

Last week I joined with young people, parents and teachers, at LismoreCollege, to celebrate the academic success of the future generation of Derry.

As I addressed those present, I spoke about their future opportunities and their aspirations for a City which has so much to offer.

On Tuesday morning, terrorists once again attempted to shatter that future. In the early hours, police officers worked against the clock to make sure residents and visitors to the City were kept safe from the actions of those who yet again showed a complete and total disregard for the safety of others.

Thankfully the two police officers who were caught up in the blast were not badly injured, no thanks to those whose reckless intentions were only ever going to kill, maim or destroy.

The damage caused to tourism and investment in the City is difficult to measure. The money required to repair the damage will probably run into millions; money that will not now be available to reinvest back into the local area which so badly needs it.

As I listened to the words of condemnation from local people, visitors, elected representatives and business owners it is so difficult to understand why people, no doubt some of whom live in the City, would inflict this terror and misery on their own doorstep, when there is so clearly no appetite for it from the vast majority of local people.

The police officers who stepped out to save life on Tuesday morning in Derry didn’t stop to ask people who or what they were and nor do they, as they go about delivering a personal, professional and protective policing service every day across Northern Ireland.

Your Police Service continues to work tirelessly, night and day, to bring those responsible for such actions to account. I know that there are people who are aware or suspect who these people are and this information is critical.

Once again, I appeal for your support. Help us before another life is lost and another community shattered.

Nobody deserves this. If you don’t do it for yourself, then do it for the next generation.

A day to Remember

Last Sunday I was privileged to join police colleagues from across the United Kingdom and representatives from An Garda Síochána, for the National Police Memorial Day at the Waterfront Hall in Belfast.

The annual service is held on the nearest Sunday to the 29th September to coincide with Saint Michael's day, the patron Saint of Police Officers and rotates around England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

National Police Memorial Day was established in 2004 to remember police officers who have been killed or who have died on duty, to demonstrate to relatives, friends and colleagues of fallen officers, that their sacrifice is not forgotten and to recognise the dedication to duty and courage displayed by police officers.

Last year there were eight police officers who were died on duty. Six of the officers, two from the Police Service of Northern Ireland, Constable Gary Grieves (46) and Constable Gareth Gallagher (22), three from the London Metropolitan Police Service, D/Sergeant Iain McLay (42), Constable Sean McColgan (37) and Constable Daniel Gibb (25) and one for Wiltshire Constable Michael Johnson (46), died whilst making their way to or from duty.

Constable Daniel Cooper (22), Wiltshire Police, died in a road traffic collision whilst responding to a call for assistance from colleagues and most of us will remember the tragic death of Constable William Barker (44) who was swept off a bridge in Cumbria during the floods of last November.

It was a very emotional service with thousands of people from various forces and counties, public representatives, colleagues, family members and friends, standing side by side to remember and honour those who have given their lives in the service of others.

Policing by its very nature is a dangerous occupation. Every day, across the United Kingdom, police officers put themselves in harm's way to protect the communities whom they serve from serious harm.

No Police Service understands this more so than the Royal Ulster Constabulary in the past, and the Police Service of Northern Ireland at present.

Police officers walk towards danger when others run away. Over the years police officers here, through their quick thinking, resourcefulness, and administration of first aid have saved the lives of many ordinary people from burning homes, frozen lakes and canals, heavy seas, mountains and snow, whilst putting their own lives at risk.

Only last week a local councillor, in West Belfast referred to police officers who attempted to save a man from his burning home as ‘heroes’. The officers suffered smoke inhalation as result of their attempt to rescue the man.

The police service is often referred to as a ‘family’ and there is no doubt that there is a unique bond between police officers and their families, regardless of where they serve.

The public owe a great debt of gratitude to the men and women, officers and staff, who work tirelessly, in very difficult circumstances to deliver policing across the United Kingdom.

The challenge to us all is to never forget that sacrifice. As the act of remembrance says “We will remember them”.

No compromise on the things that matter most

There is absolutely no doubt, as the Government undertakes its’ spending review, that the Police Service of Northern Ireland will be asked to make efficiencies just the same as every other Police Service across the United Kingdom.

In some respects, the PSNI is ahead of the game. In response to the findings of our own Strategic Review, we have critically examined how we do our business to identify how we can use our people and resources to best effect.

The concept of efficiency and effectiveness is very clearly enshrined in one of our Chief Constable’s five strategic principles: ‘Resources and time focused upon genuine operational delivery. Ensuring we have the right people in the right place to prevent harm, protect from danger and inspire confidence.’

We have already delivered over 400 additional police officers to frontline policing and we are determined to identify more ways to reduce bureaucracy, push for further criminal justice reforms and ensure that our officers are more visible, in more places, for much longer, and are focussed on the things that matter most to local communities.

We are a unique police service, policing a unique environment. This makes us all the more determined to continue to influence Government, locally and nationally, to secure an appropriate level of funding which will allow us to meet the increased threat from terrorists head on, and to deprive them of the opportunities to murder, wreck and maim that they seek.

We will do our absolute best to deliver on the agreed targets in our Policing Plan, and to ensure that there is no policing vacuum that others will seek to fill.

Later this year we will expand on those targets to develop a series of Policing with the Community commitments. Once completed, we will deliver information about the commitments to every household in Northern Ireland. These commitments are simply about 'delivering the basics well' in areas that are important, such as, keeping people informed, visibility and accessibility. A mechanism to ensure that we deliver a personal, professional and protective policing service.

Regardless of what financial pressures come our way, we will not compromise on those things that matter most. We will continue to tackle serious harm, whatever form that might take, we will continue to work with other agencies to help protect the most vulnerable in our communities and we will seek to provide the personal Police Service that we all want and deserve.

We can make a difference but only if you continue to give us your complete and active support.

Indiscriminate attack on primary school disgusting and difficult to comprehend

Yesterday morning’s completely indiscriminate attack on the primary school children of St Comgall’s in Antrim as they arrived for another week absolutely disgusted me.

B e under no illusions, this was a real device carefully put together for one reason - to kill or seriously injure whoever happened to be in close proximity at that time.

There is no such thing as a responsible bomb, but the recklessness of someone prepared to place a bomb at a primary school where it could be picked up by an eight year old child and carried into the school is difficult to comprehend.

The vast majority of people had hoped that with the very significant progress which had been achieved towards a shared future in recent years, such acts of blatant sectarianism could be confined to the past.

Sadly there are still those within our communities, who no doubt have eight year old family members themselves’, who for whatever reason cannot contemplate the concept of mutual respect and understanding. This type of attack makes it difficult to imagine what their vision of the future is for their children.

It is unreasonable to expect the Police Service alone to deal with the cancer of deep seated hatred which obviously still exists within our community. We rightly deal with the symptoms of the problem but the cause requires everyone’s efforts. Northern Ireland is moving on.

What we need now is a real concerted effort to ensure we continue to move in the right direction. Condemnation of such attacks is welcome, but even more welcome is consistent action, from communities and community leaders, to isolate those who put the lives and the future of children - of all our children - at risk. Such action will ensure we really do move on.

As a police officer, and a parent, I share the collective responsibility to do everything I can to encourage tolerance and understanding of those who don’t necessarily share the same opinions or views as I do. We must all continue to work together to promote understanding and tolerance.

Together I believe we can make a difference and isolate those within our communities who clearly have a different agenda.

Mela 2010

I was delighted on Sunday to have been invited to attend the Belfast Mela in Botanic Gardens. The Police Service of Northern Ireland has been associated with and a sponsor of the Mela since its inception four years ago.

The word Mela means ‘to meet’ and what an exciting array of colour, scents, food and diversity were on display on Sunday. Recently so many of the news headlines have portrayed images of hatred but this was a fantastic example of everything tolerant and positive about the future of Belfast and Northern Ireland.

Over 30,000 people descended on the gardens at Botanic to celebrate Northern Ireland’s rich cultural background. People from all over the City of Belfast and further afield, from all backgrounds and cultures, ages and communities coming together to enjoy a varied programme of music, food and dance.

Indeed as I was leaving there was a huge queue of people waiting patiently at the gates of the park to get in, such was the interest in the event.

As I have said many times before our diversity is something to be celebrated and not feared. The Indian community first started arriving in Northern Ireland in the 1920’s and whilst the community is relatively small, the Mela has become the biggest multi-cultural event in Northern Ireland, attracting stalls and performers from all over the world.

It was my pleasure to have had the opportunity to join with them to celebrate everything they have contributed to life in Northern Ireland.

I also took the opportunity to visit the PSNI and Unite Against Hate stand. Unite Against Hate is a partnership initiative to promote diversity and create a zero tolerance of hate crime and discrimination.

If you would like to add your support, you can find out more at: HYPERLINK "http://www.uniteagainsthate.org.uk/" http://www.uniteagainsthate.org.uk/

The more people who become actively involved the better. For example, if everyone who visited the Mela on Sunday became proactively involved, think of the difference that could make.

My sincere thanks to all who supported the Belfast Mela and especially to Artsekta for bringing such a beacon of hope to the City of Belfast.

Dealing with the past is the responsibility of everyone

The terrible events of the 31^st July 1972 in Claudy have been the focus of attention over the past days.

The regret expressed by former Assistant Chief Constable Sam Kinkaid, on behalf of the PSNI, when he met with the families of those injured and killed, in December 2002, has not diminished in the intervening years.

At that meeting ACC Kinkaid briefed the families on the findings of a police review of the original investigation. Afterwards ACC Kinkaid said “it is clear that the relatives of those who died in the bomb attack in Claudy village and those who were injured have not received justice. I regret this very much and in particular that opportunities to arrest and interview all of the suspects were not taken."

I wholeheartedly agree with what ACC Kinkaid said. The Royal Ulster Constabulary didn’t always get it right, and the Police Service of Northern Ireland has made mistakes too.

We police in a very different context today, and this is in no way intended to make excuses for the past. Our aim is to deliver a personal, professional and protective police service, which ensures that the events in Claudy are not repeated.

No Police Service could ever say that they will always get it right. But it will not be for the want of trying. And it would be remiss of me not to acknowledge the bravery and sacrifice of so many police officers and police staff who in the midst of the unrelenting violence of the 1970’s were killed or injured delivering a police service, trying to keep all communities safe.

In the months and years to come, there will no doubt be difficult and challenging times as Northern Ireland tries to reconcile itself with its past.

Through the establishment of the Historical Enquiries Team (HET), we are attempting to facilitate a process to recover the truth and ensure that those individuals who have questions receive the answers they seek, uncomfortable as those answers may be.

That work will continue. We would encourage anyone with information in relation to Claudy, or indeed any historical event linked to the Troubles, to come forward to the HET.