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.