Remembering the victims and the people of Boston

The sympathy of all right thinking people will be with the people of Boston at this time and in particular those who have lost family and friends and those who have been seriously injured.

The presence of so many cameras and 'live time' reporting brings the devastation, terror and tragedy of these attacks right into our living rooms.

It's only natural after such an horrific attack that people start to think about major sporting and other events which could become targets for similar acts of terror.  The Metropolitan Police have been working hard to reassure competitors taking part in the London Marathon this week in relation to their security plans and of course we have our own Belfast Marathon coming up in just a few weeks time.

Sadly we are very used to planning major events in a style which fully considers the reality of a terror attack.  All these events will be risk assessed and a proportionate policing operation put in place consistent with the risk.  However, the possibility of an attack by terrorists is always a consideration not just on the event itself but on the police resources facilitating it.  This is just a reality of policing Northern Ireland in the face of a severe terrorist threat.

I want to reassure you that over the next few months during the G8 Summit, World Police and Fire Games, UK City of Culture and other major events, we will be continuing to plan with contingencies in mind.  We will also be working, in so far as is humanly possible, to ensure that competitors, spectators, officials, volunteers and police officers are safe and feel safe.  Recent arrests and the recovery of firearms and explosives show our very clear determination to do so.

It is vitally important that we also have your support.  You are our extra set of 'eyes and ears' as you go about your normal daily business and we rely on your support to keep people safe.  I know this will not deter you from your plans to participate in sporting and other major events in the future, and your encouragement of those who have worked so hard to organise these fantastic spectacles is so important.  I am sure that the people of Boston are as determined as ever to show that they will not be deterred by these attacks, just as we have shown in Northern Ireland that neither will we.

15 years on from the Good Friday Agreement

 

If you have been listening to the news this morning, I am sure that it will not have escaped your notice that today is the fifteenth anniversary of the signing of the Good Friday Agreement - 10th April 1998.

 

One of the major success stories of the agreement has been the evolution to a policing service that is much more representative of the community. And whilst there are still major challenges, the environment in which we now work and support we have from communities across Northern Ireland means we are able to develop our focus on policing with the community, working in partnership with our local communities.

 

It is appropriate to pay tribute to those in the Royal Ulster Constabulary GC who paved the way for such changes and to the many who helped deliver them. We are today a very different police service from that of 15 years ago.

 

I look forward to reading The Community Relations Council's latest '2013 Peace Monitoring' report in detail when it is published later today. One of the headlines being used ahead of publication is 'Northern Ireland has most difficult year in decade'. From a policing perspective, I can say that it has certainly been one of the most challenging years for the Police Service of Northern Ireland. We have a great deal of experience in dealing with many and varied challenges, but the protracted nature of recent challenges have been particularly difficult.

 

We have of course still the G8 Summit, World Police and Fire Games, the UK City of Culture and the All Ireland Fleadh ahead of us. We will be working very hard with communities and partners to successfully and safely deliver these major events.

 

There is absolutely no doubt that Northern Ireland has been transformed since 1998. We still have some way to go and recent events have shown that there is still much 'unfinished business' of the peace process. By way of one example, this afternoon I will chair the PSNI Legacy Group, a monthly meeting to monitor and manage the PSNI's legal responsibilities to respond to the legacy of the past - and whilst relatives of those killed during the Troubles want and deserve answers to their questions, the absence of any agreed way forward on the past continues to place a significant burden on the time and resources of your Police Service.

 

I am an optimist, if I wasn't I would have very clearly picked the wrong job. As a police officer you have to believe that tomorrow can be better and perhaps as we all reflect back to where we were 15 years ago we can see that the optimists were right.

 

Your Police Service has delivered much and whilst we do not get it right all the time the increase in community support, coupled with greater confidence and lower crime figures, has all been delivered against the backdrop of an ongoing terrorist threat and very significant operational challenges. I believe this demonstrates our determination to deliver the very finest personal, professional and protective policing service possible.

 

If we all continue to work together to build on the progress of the past 15 years, potentially the next 15 could be every bit as significant.

Policing in Extreme Conditions

This week has brought some of the most horrendous weather conditions for many people living across Northern Ireland. I certainly cannot ever remember experiencing as much snow in my lifetime. You couldn’t help but be moved by the accounts on our television screens of desperate farmers talking about being helpless to save the lives of many of their livestock. In this context, it is good to learn that the Executive has agreed a package to help those affected farmers.

I am also aware of many families who found themselves cut off and feeling very isolated with no electricity and dwindling food supplies. I want to pay tribute to everyone who worked around the clock and in the most extreme conditions to help those who found themselves in this very difficult position.

In particular, I want to acknowledge the work of my colleagues in our Search and Rescue Team and Air Support Unit. On Monday morning, I visited the operations room from where the multi agency response had been co-ordinated over the weekend. I heard of a number of examples where colleagues had used snow shoes to walk miles into snow bound areas, in the dark, to deliver critical food and medical supplies. Our Air Support Unit also delivered food and medical supplies, including oxygen to a gentleman who had almost run out, and air lifted a number of people from their homes to hospital for medical attention. And even just last night, members of the Services Search and Rescue Team were involved, along with North West Mountain Rescue and the Irish Army Air Corps and Irish Coastguard helicopters, in rescuing two young men who had got into difficultly whilst climbing in a gully on the Binevenagh Mountain near Limavady. Two members of the Team had to abseil down into the gully in heavy snow and ice to assist the men who were then airlifted by the Irish Air Corps to safety.  

I know too that many other statutory and voluntary agencies also helped to ensure that people were kept safe. The community spirit in areas was critical as people used diggers to help neighbours by clearing roads to those areas cut off by deep snow drifts.

In stark contrast, whilst we were helping communities deal with the extreme weather conditions, colleagues in Fermanagh were dealing with an abandoned car bomb near Derrylin. I utterly condemn those responsible and thank the local community for their support during the disruption which lasted a number of days. Those people who planned this attack have nothing to offer the people of Fermanagh or Northern Ireland and it would be our assessment that an increased security presence in the area has thwarted this reckless and deadly attack.

Policing has many challenges, and whether it is dealing with extreme weather conditions or acts of terror your Police Service will continue to do absolutely everything it can to ensure that we keep people safe, and deliver that personal, professional and protective policing service that our communities want and deserve.

Personal Policing

It’s been a busy week, but one of the things that makes a policing career so enjoyable, interesting and challenging is that no one week is ever the same.

Earlier this week, I had the opportunity to visit Lisnaskea and patrol with members of the local Neighbourhood Policing Team.  Lisnaskea is a thriving rural town, albeit feeling the pinch like many other towns across Northern Ireland, but I was able to take the chance to speak with a number of the local business owners.   What always impresses me about rural towns is that there are always a few police officers who have been there for a very long time and know absolutely everyone and everyone knows them. This for me is exactly what good community policing is all about, long term relationships with local police officers known by name and who have a reputation for delivering a good policing service to the local community. I was also hearing about the very effective relationships on the ground with our colleagues in An Garda Síochána. This is very important given its close proximity to the border.

Yesterday morning I had the privilege of being invited to speak to the assembly at the Royal Belfast Academical Institution, or Inst as most of us know it.  Over one thousand boys and staff gathered in their assembly hall. This was a great opportunity and I want to thank Janet Williamson, their principal, for the invitation. One of the strap lines I used in my address was ‘It’s the real thing’ and how life is not a dress rehearsal, you only get one chance and you need to make the best of it. Who knows I might even have been addressing a future Chief Constable!

I have also been dealing with the fallout of the errors made by the external Design Team in relation to the costings around the new NI Community Safety College at Desertcreat. As Chair of the Programme Board, I can assure you, the difficulties which we are currently working through with Health and Justice Departments and the three services (Police, Fire and Rescue and Prisons) are not show stoppers and whilst the opening of the College may now be delayed for a few months, into early 2016, it is very much still a reality.

Despite all the unique challenges the Police Service faces, our goal of delivering the finest personal, professional and protective service remains our priority. The events of last week, with the failed mortar attack on New Barnsley station, will not deflect us from this challenge.  Even this morning there is an ongoing security incident outside Enniskillen.  The vast majority of people support policing and with your support we can make communities better and safer. The mindless actions of those who totally disregard the safety of others must be frustrated, prevented and detected. The people who left the mortar bomb at New Barnsley have nothing positive to offer. There was absolutely no guarantee that the potentially deadly device would not miss its target and hit homes, schools or businesses in the nearby area.

With your help and support we will continue to work tirelessly to thwart acts of terror and criminality and continue to make your local community a better and safer place to live.

 

International Women's Day

This day has been observed since the early 1900's when there was great expansion and turbulence in the industrialised world that saw population growth and a rise in radical ideologies.  Of course much has changed and on this day annually thousands of events are held throughout the world to inspire women and to celebrate their achievements.  Indeed in my lifetime there have been significant 'firsts'; female astronauts, Prime Ministers, Chief Police Officers and others in senior positions in the public service.  There has also been new legislation and work place practices that support women to work and have a family, and enjoy greater career choices.

In recognition of this day, I am taking the opportunity to meet briefly this afternoon with a number of my female colleagues to hear more about their role and experiences within the Service.  Things are very different now to when I joined 31 years ago, and many of these women will also have seen a sea change in the opportunities available to women within the Police Service.

It is also difficult on such a day to not think about the violence and abuse suffered by women.  Sadly whilst the law affords females greater protection now than at probably any time before, violence against and the exploitation of women is still common place locally, nationally and internationally.

I was appalled to listen to the Prime Minister speak earlier this week about the risk to young women and girls in the United Kingdom from female genital mutilation.  It is estimated that worldwide 140 million women, most of them young girls, have experienced this barbaric and inhumane practice.  It is just unbelievable that in some countries this practice is actually legalised.  The UK government is hoping to reduce the practice by 30%, home and abroad, over the next five years and this is to be welcomed.  Whilst I am not aware of any identified cases of this nature within Northern Ireland, I have no doubt that it is a possibility.  The Police Service of Northern Ireland have officers who have been trained to deal with these hugely sensitive crimes and can support investigations and victims accordingly.

Recent successes in the fight against human traffickers in Northern Ireland are also to be welcomed.  I know that great efforts have been made by my colleagues in Crime Operations Department to make Northern Ireland a hostile place for these organised criminals.  In the past few years the Police Service of Northern Ireland has rescued over 80 victims of human trafficking.  This is an ever emerging issue which ultimately funds the activities of serious and organised crime gangs.  We constantly  look for signs of this activity as we go about our daily duties.

You may ask yourself as a concerned member of the public of Northern Ireland what can I do about these terrible crimes, and how can I assist and support the police?   We know that there are many people who see and hear things but for whatever reason just either don't want to get involved or do not know how to.

If you are concerned about a women or child, or indeed anyone, who may be suffering abuse of any sort or if you see any activity which appears suspicious, then you can assist us by bringing this to our attention.  We are very happy to follow up on information received and would much rather explore something and find that everything is alright than have someone get seriously hurt or worse, when this could have been prevented.

International Women's Day is a day to celebrate the achievements of women and girls, to ensure that they are protected and respected, and achieve their true potential in today's changing and challenging world.

Highly Commended Award for Street Talk

On Monday evening I had the pleasure of attending the Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People's Participation Award ceremony in Stormont.

The Children’s Commissioner established the Awards last year to recognise and celebrate the participation and active engagement of young people in public life. They are open to all government departments, arm’s length bodies and other public sector organisations.

This year there were two categories, ‘Putting young people at the forefront’ and ‘Creating space for young people in decision making’.  The first category was for projects which were set up by organisations who specifically aim to include children and young people in decisions directly affecting them and the second category was designed for projects working directly with young people, but in this category young people were involved in wider decision making.

The Strand Road Neighbourhood Policing Team had been nominated in category one for its Street Talk project.  The project worked with 48 young people from different backgrounds and interface areas, or who have a history of offending, or are at risk of engaging in offending behaviour. The project used diversionary arts training and other activities to engage with young people, capture their interest, promote creativity, promote positive use of free time, and divert them from negative risk taking behaviour.  

I visited the project last August and was really impressed with the work of the young people and how it was breaking down the barriers between communities and young people and the police.  I was delighted that the project received a highly commended Award and this was appropriate recognition for my colleagues in Strand Road and for The Playhouse who partnered with us.  What perhaps makes these Awards all the more special is that it was a panel of young people who designed the Award criteria, selected the finalists and ultimately the winners.

This is just one of the many partnership initiatives which the PSNI are involved in every day across Northern Ireland.  Despite all the various challenges that we face, the 'day job' must and does go on.  It was great to see the young people recognised and rewarded for this excellent initiative.

I want to add my congratulations to all of the other Award winners. There were so many great initiatives, so for the Police Service of Northern Ireland to get short listed, never mind highly commended was very pleasing. 

If you would like to find out more about all the projects and recipients click http://www.niccy.org/ParticipationAwards

Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People (NICCY), Patricia Lewsley-Mooney pictured along with Deputy Chief Constable Judith Gillespie and members of the Award Panel, Jill Lapping, Nikita Harkin, Aaron Gorman, Eve Malcomson, Barry McCrory, Emma Hegarty and Stephen Beattie. (Picture courtesy of Aaron McCracken/Harrisons)

Our Colleague – Constable Philippa Reynolds

It was devastating over the weekend to have to visit the family of Constable Philippa Reynolds in such tragic circumstances.  This was a young police officer who was out on duty delivering a policing service and working to keep the public safe.  She died doing what she loved. 

It is very sad that the Police Service has lost another fine member and that her family have been cheated of a daughter and sister who had so much more to give.   I met her boyfriend too, who has been robbed of future happiness with Philippa.  Reading some of the comments left by family and friends, on social media, just showed how much she was liked and loved by so many.

I met with some of Philippa's colleagues in Strand Road on Saturday night and, whilst I didn't know her personally, she just seemed such a lovely, bubbly young woman who was so excited to have been able to work in the Police Service of Northern Ireland and clearly had so much more to give to policing.  The photograph her family released to the media, I felt, just showed her bright and fun loving personality.  In a relatively short space of time within Police Service she had clearly made a huge and lasting impact on her colleagues and in her community. 

I want to echo the words of our Chief Constable, who said, "This is a personal tragedy for her family and also for the whole Police Service. She was out on duty, working to keep people safe, when she died. My thoughts and prayers are with her family at this time. I and my colleagues will ensure that no stone remains unturned as we work to bring to justice those who perpetrated this crime." 

The investigation team have worked tirelessly over the weekend to ensure that every investigative opportunity is explored.  Two men are due to  appear in court this morning charged with a range of offences and for obvious reasons I am unable to go into any further details at this time.

We will support Philippa's family at this very difficult time.  Sadly this is something that the Police Service is well practised at and does very well, and that support will continue not just in the next few days but in the weeks, months and years that lie ahead.

Today police officers and staff are out across Northern Ireland delivering a personal, professional and protective policing service.  This is the very best way that we can honour the service of our colleague, continuing to do the very thing for which she lived and, tragically, died.