Section 16 (1) of the Police (NI) Act 2000 (as amended), which details the functions of a district policing partnership, requires a DPP to monitor the performance of the police in carrying out
(i) the policing plan relating to the district and
(ii) the local policing plan applying to the district or any part of the district.
DPPs were initially formed in March 2003 and have played a significant role in identifying local priorities for the Local Policing Plan. The DPP has been involved in monitoring how the local police meet the targets in these Plans.
Statistics and meetings in public are the primary mechanisms used by Fermanagh DPP to monitor the effectiveness and efficiency of the police and to measure their performance in working towards the targets set out in the Policing Board’s Policing Plan and the Local Policing Plan.
During the period ending 31 March 2008, Fermanagh DPP has held six meetings in public. The PSNI Area Commander has attended six meetings with the DPP and he has responded to 118 questions from DPP members and members of the public.
During the twelve month period ending March 2008 there was a 5.5% increase in total crime offences recorded a rise of 100 crimes.
There were increases in volume crimes of Criminal Damage (up 3.2% 29 crimes), Theft (up 3.4% 24 crimes) and Offences Against the Person (up 2.1% 17 crimes). The other volume crime of Burglary fell 4.7% or 14 crimes.
Violent Crime (Offences Against the Person, Sexual Offences and Robbery) rose by 10.3%. The most significant rises were in Theft/Unauthorised Taking of Motor Vehicles rose by 100% up from 38 to 76 and Sexual Offences 71.9% up from 32 to 55.
Total Crime – Fermanagh DCU
- 2000/2001 - 2,508 crimes
- 2001/2002 - 2,610 crimes
- 2002/2003 - 2,539 crimes
- 2003/2004 - 2,625 crimes
- 2004/2005 - 2,503 crimes
- 2005/2006 - 3,065 crimes
- 2006/2007 - 3,004 crimes
- 2007/2008 - 3,104 crimes
While there was a significant fall in road traffic fatilities down from 16 to 7, road traffic casualties overall rose from 348 to 394.