The Policing Authority has today published its Strategy Statement for 2022-2024, the third strategy period since the Authority’s establishment.

The Authority developed this Strategy Statement from the key oversight themes that have emerged over the last six years of its work. The Strategy is informed by research, consultation and engagement with communities, organisations and groups who generously gave of their time—particularly over the past two years. There was also engagement with the Garda Síochána at all levels as well as collaboration with oversight bodies at home and abroad, and internal engagement with staff. The Authority reflected on how best it can continue its work to ensure an effective policing service is provided for all members of the public.

The Strategy Statement includes a revised vision, mission and values for the organisation. The Strategy is centred on five strategic themes that the Authority believes capture the focus of its work over the next three years. Each theme is accompanied by a desired outcome which articulates what the work under each theme is striving to achieve:

• Community Focused Policing: Policing serves the needs and secures the confidence of the community in all its diversity
• Effective Policing: Policing is effective in preventing and detecting crime and is consistently delivered through the effective use of resources
• Garda Integrity and Human Rights: Ethical policing that vindicates the human rights of all who engage with the service and those who are affected by it
• Leading through Change: The Authority has influenced and is prepared for the future policing oversight arrangements and its transition to become the Policing and Community Safety Authority
• Informed Oversight that Engages the Public on Policing Matters: The Authority through research and active listening seeks out a diversity of perspectives on the experience of policing and uses this knowledge to challenge the Garda Síochána to improve policing continually

Commenting on the publication of the Strategy, Policing Authority Chairperson, Bob Collins said:

“The Authority’s new mission statement is to hold the Garda Síochána fairly and transparently to account in the interests of all, particularly the most vulnerable. The development of this strategy gave us the opportunity to reflect, particularly on our oversight during the past two years, and our engagement with communities during the crisis period. We listened to the community, in all its diversity, and we will continue to look outward—to listen actively, and to carry out and commission research to inform our oversight. This strategy period will see the Authority transition to a new body, the Policing and Community Safety Authority, and we look forward to playing our role in the implementation of new policing oversight arrangements”.

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