PFNI responds to crime figures

The Police Federation for Northern Ireland has said that crime figures released by the PSNI show the extent to which officers are plugging gaps in other public services.

The Police Federation for Northern Ireland has said that crime figures released by the PSNI show the extent to which officers are plugging gaps in other public services.

PFNI Chairman, Mark Lindsay, said: “The figure of 80% of calls for services that are not crime-related is a cause of great concern. Officers will always respond to calls concerning a missing or vulnerable person, but that means they are re-directed from other duties.

“People rely on the Police whenever other public bodies are unable to respond. That places added pressure on a service that is already creaking under the weight of budget cuts and reduced numbers.

“On the wider front, a doubling of the number of victims of paramilitary shootings tells a worrying story about the type of justice gangs are trying to impose on communities. Violent vigilantism is hugely destabilising and has to be tackled head-on.

“In essence, we need hundreds more Officers on the streets. The profile of crime is changing and becoming more complex, so as well as having Police detecting and countering the threat of cyber crime, we still require Officers on the streets to deter the criminal and offer maximum reassurance to the public.”