The Policing Board met with representatives from the business community today to discuss the Board’s Strategic Objectives for Policing 2016-20 and how the PSNI are tackling business crime.
Speaking about the meeting Board Chair Anne Connolly said: “The Board is well aware that crimes against businesses are not victimless crimes and can affect multiple people both directly and indirectly, from owners to employees and to members of the community who utilise the services of that business.
We wanted to take this opportunity to meet with representatives from the business community to not only hear their views on how we can help build police confidence across this sector but also highlight the initiatives being taken forward by the PSNI to tackle business crime. The meeting also focused on the Board’s Strategic Objectives for Policing in the next four years and how these will impact on both the Annual Policing Plan and Local Policing Plans. During the meeting attendees were also given an overview of the role and processes of the Public Prosecution Service within the criminal justice system.
Overall the meeting was productive and while there is still work to be done to tackle this area of crime it was acknowledged that the work currently being undertaken by the PSNI is having a positive impact on business crime.
We welcome the progress being made and will work with the PSNI and the business sector to ensure that this continues in the right direction.”
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For further information, please contact the Northern Ireland Policing Board’s Communications Office on 07801738795.
Notes to editors
Under Section 25 of the Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2000, as amended, the Board is authorised to determine the objectives for policing taking account of the Minister of Justice’s long term objectives for policing. Section 26 of the Act requires the Board to publish a Policing Plan before the beginning of each financial year.
To fulfil this statutory duty the Board has agreed to develop Strategic Objectives for Policing for the period 2016 - 2020 which will set out the Board’s Strategic Policing Objectives for the PSNI over a four year period. PSNI will develop an annual Policing Plan in support of this.