The Northern Ireland Policing Board has published the findings of a Review completed on Tackling Paramilitary Activity, Criminality and Organised Crime. Carried out by the Board’s Partnership Committee, the Review examines the performance of the PSNI in tackling paramilitarism in the 2019-20 period.
Commenting on the Review, Policing Board Chair Doug Garrett said:
“The impact of paramilitarism in our community remains of serious concern to the Board. It is welcome that the Paramilitary Crime Task Force (PCTF) established by the PSNI, working with partner agencies, is having tangible successes but there is still much more to be done to remove the scourge and harm that paramilitaries inflict.
The Review makes 5 recommendations around the legislative powers which support police activity in tackling organised crime and criminality, support for a dedicated Civil Recovery Agency as recommended by the Independent Reporting Commission (IRC) and ensuring support is available to officers and staff working in the PCTF.
There are also 11 operational areas for improvement identified which will assist Board and public understanding of the policing approach and performance, work with partner agencies and the allocation of funding/resources dedicated to this area of work.
Tackling ongoing paramilitary activity and associated organised crime does require a collaborative approach and the Board will continue to deliver on its statutory responsibilities with this goal in mind.”
Ends
Notes to editors
- The Board is responsible for oversight of the PSNI in tackling paramilitarism and recommendations allocated in The Executive Action Plan (EAP). The Board’s Partnership Committee has carried out this Review to scrutinise the work of the PSNI in this area in the 2019-20 period: and to assess the Board/Policing and Community Safety Partnership (PCSP) progress where recommendations are allocated for action. The EAP for Tackling Paramilitarism, Criminality and Organised Crime was published on 19 July 2016. It contains 43 commitments in response to the Panel’s recommendations, 38 of which are being delivered by Executive Departments. A copy of the Review can be found on the Board’s website: www.nipolicingboard.org.uk