Community policing replaced with reactive policing

Summary

The request sought explanations and data regarding the shift from community to reactive policing, the establishment of a firearms unit, knife crime statistics, and associated costs. The Constabulary disclosed that the firearms unit utilizes existing resources with no additional cost, provided five-year statistics for bladed article and offensive weapon offences, but did not address the rationale for the policing model change or specific vehicle purchase costs.

Key Facts

• The Armed Response Vehicle is part of the existing fleet with zero additional cost for kit, equipment, or staffing.
• Armed Response Vehicles are used for everyday policing duties and to mitigate identified threats.
• Statistics were provided for 'Bladed article in public place' and 'Possessing offensive weapon in a public place' over the last five years.
• The response did not provide a rationale for replacing neighbourhood policing with a response approach.
• The response did not provide a breakdown of new vehicles purchased or the costs of upgrading the police vehicle pool.

Data Disclosed

• 15
• 16
• 9
• 19
• 12
• 71
• 21
• 11
• 17
• 13
• 81
• 152
• 36
• 27
• 26
• 32
• 31
• 2024-09-10
• 2024-10-03
• 4110337

Original Request

As the Department of Home Affairs are denying that they hold any of the data in the request outlined below, I am now sending same to the Constabulary directly. I appreciate your cooperation. Please explain the rationale for removing community police officers and replacing neighbourhood policing with a response approach to policing. Please include downsides/negatives to the rationale. Please provide statistics and empirical data to back up the decision. Please explain why the Constabulary now has a full time fire arms unit. Please provide statistics and empirical data to back up this decision. Please provide statistics regarding machete and knife crime on the Isle of Man over the last five years. Please provide forecast crime figures for machete and knife crime for the next three to five years. Please list how many times the fire arms unit and response officers have trained in Isle of Man Schools over the last five years. Please detail the costs of: The change from neighbourhood policing to response based policing The cost of upgrading the police vehicle pool Provide a breakdown of new vehicles purchased over the last 2 years, provide costs, type of vehicle and the purpose of each The cost of creating and the annual running costs of the permanent fire arms unit The cost of training officers in Isle of Man schools

Data Tables (1)

Full Response Text

Isle of Man Constabulary Freedom of Information Police Headquarters Dukes Avenue Douglas Isle of Man IM2 4RG

Our ref: 4110337 3 October 2024

Dear

We write further to your request, received 10 September 2024, which states:

"As the Department of Home Affairs are denying that they hold any of the data in the request outlined below, I am now sending same to the Constabulary directly. I appreciate your cooperation.

Please explain the rationale for removing community police officers and replacing neighbourhood policing with a response approach to policing. Please include downsides/negatives to the rationale. Please provide statistics and empirical data to back up the decision.

Please explain why the Constabulary now has a full time fire arms unit. Please provide statistics and empirical data to back up this decision.

Please provide statistics regarding machete and knife crime on the Isle of Man over the last five years. Please provide forecast crime figures for machete and knife crime for the next three to five years.

Please list how many times the fire arms unit and response officers have trained in Isle of Man Schools over the last five years.

Please detail the costs of:
The change from neighbourhood policing to response based policing
The cost of upgrading the police vehicle pool
Provide a breakdown of new vehicles purchased over the last 2 years, provide costs, type of vehicle and the purpose of each
The cost of creating and the annual running costs of the permanent fire arms unit
The cost of training officers in Isle of Man schools"

Our response to your request is as follows: I have detailed below the information that is being released to you.

In relation to the Armed Response Vehicle’s there is no increase as it is part of the existing fleet which has been in place for years, so the answer to the question would

be zero. There are no additional costs in relation to kit and equipment as again this is utilising existing equipment, and likewise staffing costs are zero cost.

To assist with a narrative around Armed Response Vehicle’s; we now have a deployable Armed Response Vehicle in order to be readily available to respond to and mitigate any identified threat or risk situation in line with their training. They are also utilised for everyday policing duties and are able to utilise there additional skills around enhanced first aid, method of entry, driver training etc in line with the policing strategy to protect vulnerable people, tackle criminality and reduce harm to the community.

The offences of Possessing Offensive Weapon in a public place and Bladed Article in a Public Place are relevant to the machete and knife crime data request. Recorded Crimes figures for these offence types for the last 5 years are listed in the below table.

OFFENCE WITHIN 12 MONTHS YEAR - 1 YEAR - 2 YEAR - 3 YEAR - 4 Grand Total Bladed article in public place 15 16 9 19 12 71 Possessing offensive weapon in a public place 21 11 17 13 19 81 TOTALS 36 27 26 32 31 152

Please quote the reference number 4110337 in any future communications.

Your right to request a review

If you are unhappy with this response to your freedom of information request, you may ask us to carry out an internal review of the response, by completing a complaint form and submitting it electronically or by delivery/post.

An electronic version of our complaint form can be found by going to our website at https://services.gov.im/freedom-of-information/Review . If you would like a paper version of our complaint form to be sent to you by post, please contact me and I will be happy to arrange for this. Your review request should explain why you are dissatisfied with this response, and should be made as soon as practicable. We will respond as soon as the review has been concluded.

If you are not satisfied with the result of the review, you then have the right to appeal to the Information Commissioner for a decision on; 1. Whether we have responded to your request for information in accordance with Part 2 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015; or 2. Whether we are justified in refusing to give you the information requested.
In response to an application for review, the Information Commissioner may, at any time, attempt to resolve a matter by negotiation, conciliation, mediation or another

form of alternative dispute resolution and will have regard to any outcome of this in making any subsequent decision. More detailed information on your right to a review can be found on the Information Commissioner’s website at www.inforights.im. Should you have any queries concerning this letter, please do not hesitate to contact me. Further information about freedom of information requests can be found at www.gov.im/foi.

I will now close your request as of this date.

Yours sincerely