To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are proposing to make policing more effective in East Belfast; and whether they will make extra resources available. [HL1189]

The Northern Ireland Policing Board is responsible for securing the efficiency and effectiveness of the PSNI. It in turn sponsors the DPPs, which operate at a local level.

The DPP holds a number of public meetings to monitor police performance. These meetings provide an opportunity for the police commander to report to the subgroup in the district, to respond to questions from the public about how policing services are provided in the district and to deal with any issues the local community is concerned about.

The chief constable has provided the following additional information:

In order to establish a more effective and responsive policing structure for the local East Belfast community the neighbourhood policing programme was introduced to Victoria and Pottinger in 2007. These are closely aligned to the service delivery areas of the other statutory organisations within Belfast. The establishment levels within these neighbourhood units have also increased and officers are committed to serve for a minimum of two years. This will provide consistent points of contact and a good opportunity to build strong relationships with the community.

To assist with the process of community engagement PACT (Partners and Community Together) meetings have been introduced in Pottinger with Victoria due to commence in March 2009. These meetings provide regular opportunities for the local community to meet police and other statutory organisations to discuss issues that cause them concern within their respective neighbourhood.

In addition to the dedicated neighbourhood teams, other resources within the district have now been realigned on a neighbourhood basis. This means that 24-hour patrol officers, in addition to their normal response duties, have neighbourhood responsibilities for dedicated areas. Other units—ie, CID, Community Safety—now also reflect this neighbourhood emphasis.

In a drive to introduce more visible policing across the district in January 2009, 18 extra officers were trained and fully equipped for cycle patrols which have already received favourable comments from the community. Neighbourhood shift systems within East Belfast have also been modified to ensure that neighbourhood officers are more readily available and visible each day.

In order to build, broaden and sustain confidence in the police a victim care line is to be established within East Belfast. This will provide a facility whereby victims of crime can contact a free phone number and will receive up-to-date information on the current state of their investigations. This initiative has been developed in partnership with the local district policing partnership and is due to commence in March 2009.

Police in East Belfast recognise that more can always be done to encourage local communities to assist police and the support and contribution of local elected representatives is necessary to achieve this.