Policy Details
Identification of Local Priorities
Dated: 18 Apr 2008
NOT PROTECTIVELY MARKED
POLICY TITLE: Identification of Local Priorities
OWNING DIRECTORATE: Criminal Justice and Comms
AUTHOR: Chief Inspector Comms
CONTACT DETAILS: 03456 043 043 Ext. 69723
AIM OF POLICY: To ensure there is a corporate approach to engagement and the identification of community issues at a local level.
BENEFIT OF POLICY: A corporate approach
REASON FOR POLICY: It satisfies HMIC and NPIA good practice.
DESCRIPTION OF POLICY:
Northumbria Police is committed to reducing crime and disorder, improving service delivery and increasing trust and confidence in its local communities.
Effective engagement and consultation is necessary not only to identify communities’ issues and concerns but also to enable communities to have a say both in prioritising those issues and in resolving them through a multi-agency problem solving approach. The solutions need to be sustainable and communities need feedback on results, thereby increasing trust and confidence.
Consultation can occur at various levels – force, area command or sector. This policy relates to the identification of priorities at sector or neighbourhood level.
There are five requirements for consultation at neighbourhood level:
Issue identification
A formal consultation process must exist within each sector that enables a community member to raise an issue of concern with the neighbourhood policing team. The actual consultative method will vary between areas but must be appropriate for the profile of the community.
Priority setting
Where issues are identified, the community must be allowed to prioritise them, either within the consultative process or through the problem solving meetings. The police will always consider the priorities attributed to issues by the community when deploying resources.
Problem solving
Community issues will be addressed through a multi-agency problem solving approach. There will be community involvement, through a community representative, within any problem solving forum.
Feedback
Feedback will be provided in respect of every issue raised by the community at regular intervals and once the issue has been resolved. Feedback will either be to the originating individual or to the community as a whole. In every case consideration will be given to the use of the wider media.
Recording
The precise consultative arrangements (or engagement plan) within each sector will be recorded within the sector profile. A record will be made of specific issues raised and the activities undertaken to address them.
SOURCE DOCUMENT: HMIC, NPIA
GROUPS AFFECTED: All operational and/or public facing staff
ACCESS AND DISCLOSURE RESTRICTIONS: All staff
This instruction is designed to avoid discrimination and in accordance with the Human Rights Act 1998 and its underlying principles.