Inspection of Contact Handling and Management by the Police Service of Northern Ireland- Terms of Reference

Criminal Justice Inspection Northern Ireland (CJI) proposes to undertake an inspection of contact handling and management by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI).  His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) will support the inspection.

This inspection aims to assess how effective the PSNI is at responding to the public who contact the police using any of the available communication methods (telephone, digital and in person).  It aims to assess the processes the PSNI uses to supervise and manage demand and respond to the public.

CJI’s last specific inspection of contact handling and management was in 2012, however, CJI’s Inspection of Community Safety and Local Policing Arrangements in Northern Ireland, published in March 2024, considered how the PSNI engaged with communities, including how accessible and responsive the PSNI was.^[1]

CJI’s 2025-26 published Annual Business Plan and Inspection Programme,^[2] included an Inspection of Contact Handling and Management by the PSNI to be undertaken in partnership with HMICFRS.  The Northern Ireland Policing Board (NIPB), through the Department of Justice (DoJ), had commissioned HMICFRS to inspect PSNI call handling as one of the police effectiveness, efficiency and legitimacy (PEEL) range of questions considered by the NIPB.  It was subsequently agreed that CJI would lead this inspection, supported by HMICFRS.

CJI intends to inspect against core Question 5 of HMICFRS’s PEEL Assessment Framework for 2025-27^[3] to consider ‘How good is the PSNI at responding to the public?’  The topic area for this core question is as follows: ‘The force should answer calls from the public promptly and it should assess risk^[4] and vulnerability at the first point of contact and throughout the interaction. The force should attend incidents within appropriate timescales and secure available evidence.  It should maximise opportunities to prevent victims from further harm or offending.  When the force provides a good service to the public, it helps keep them safe’ with relevant characteristics of ‘good’ described to outline to police forces what is expected for a ‘good’ rating. 

Context

At the time of CJI’s previous inspections of contact management^[5] telephone or face-to-face methods were the most commonly used ways the public, victims of crime, stakeholders or partner agencies contacted the police.  CJI’s 2024 Community Safety and Local Policing Arrangements in Northern Ireland Inspection Report noted the variety of ways that the public could access the PSNI.  Online reporting for non-emergency incidents^[6] had been introduced, including specific reporting tools for domestic abuse, anti-social behaviour and certain types of road traffic collisions, and the number of police stations which were available to the public had reduced.^[7]  In April 2025 the PSNI also began piloting a new online service to the public titled ‘Virtual Officer Attendance’, to be offered to victims of crime as an alternative to telephone resolution or in-person attendance.^[8]

Contact handling and management has featured in Northern Ireland Policing Plans and annual performance is reviewed by the NIPB.^[9]  The PSNI Annual Report and Accounts 2024-25^[10] reported that a total of 677,309 calls were received in the year ending 31 March 2025, denoting a 7.4% decrease in calls.  This was reported to stem from an 11.4% reduction in 101 calls while 999 calls increased by 1%.  In addition, 29,160 online reports had been received, an increase of 7.3% from the previous year. 

In December 2025 the PSNI reported that in the previous month they had responded to 44,857 calls for service from 999, 101, online or at police stations.  This was on average over 1,495 calls a day.^[11]

The PSNI’s submission to the Northern Ireland Executive’s Draft Programme for Government 2024-27 noted the significant demands experienced by the PSNI arising from societal mental health issues.^[12]  It referenced internal analysis which suggested that the PSNI was spending in excess of 1000 hours each week attending calls relating to these issues, which it said was unsustainable given current demands and reducing workforce levels.  In response to this issue the PSNI had initiated the Right Care Right Person model in partnership with the Department of Health and Health and Social Care Trust partners.  The model aims to assess if the police are the most appropriate service to respond to reported incidents involving people in crisis who had mental health needs.^[13]  In England and Wales, the Right Care Right Person approach was introduced in phases during 2023-24.

Aims of the Inspection

The broad aims of the inspection are to:

• Examine the effectiveness of the PSNI’s strategy, policy framework and governance arrangements for contact handling and management;
• Examine the effectiveness of the PSNI’s delivery of contact handling and management, specifically the extent to which:
  • the PSNI meets the needs of the public who make contact using a range of communication methods;
  • the PSNI understands risk and vulnerability at the first point of contact and makes sure it gives appropriate advice and guidance to the public;
  • the PSNI provides an appropriate response to calls for service and manages and prioritises ongoing risk to keep the public safe; and
  • Assess the outcomes of the PSNI’s approach to contact handling and management in terms of public and stakeholder satisfaction.

Methodology

The following methodology is proposed.

The inspection will be based on the CJI Inspection Framework.  The three main elements of the inspection framework are:

• Strategy and governance;
• Delivery; and
• Outcomes.

Constants in each of the three framework elements and throughout each inspection are equality and fairness, together with standards and best practice.  The CJI inspection methodology can be found in The Inspection Process on our website.

The inspection framework will assess the delivery of PSNI contact handling and management against the characteristics of ‘good’ for core Question 5 of HMICFRS’s PEEL Assessment Framework for 2025-27.^[14]

Design and Planning

Preliminary research

Research information, reports and published data have been reviewed to inform the scope of the Inspection and how it will be conducted.  This included discussions with HMICFRS about their PEEL Assessment Framework in relation to core Question 5 and associated methodology.

Benchmarking, research and data collection

Inspection reports and guidance documents on contact management and inspections from other jurisdictions were considered.  Documents provided by the NIPB in relation to the Policing Plan 2025-30 and associated Annual Performance Plans were reviewed.

Contact with agencies

Scoping meetings were held with the PSNI and the NIPB.  The Terms of Reference for the Inspection will be shared with the PSNI and NIPB and a copy published on CJI’s website.

Delivery

Stakeholder consultation

A range of stakeholders from the statutory and community and voluntary sectors, including those who represent victims of crime, will be consulted.  In addition, Inspectors will draw on existing methods of consultation and survey data to reflect the experiences of the public and victims.

Inspectors will also consult with the NIPB Partnership Committee and representatives of Policing and Community Safety Partnerships.

Self-assessment

The PSNI will be asked to undertake a self-assessment against the inspection framework/methodology and provide supporting documentation.

Development of fieldwork plan

The fieldwork within the PSNI will take place in two phases.  In the first phase a quality service review,^[15] to review approximately 85 case files, will be undertaken by HMICFRS Inspectors.  In the second phase a timetable of individual and focus group fieldwork meetings will be developed with the PSNI, as well as visits to the PSNI Contact Management Centres. 

Analysis of data

All material and data provided and produced during the Inspection will be analysed and triangulated.  CJI will work with HMICFRS, who will provide expertise and analysis of the findings from the quality service review, as well as work alongside CJI Inspectors during fieldwork meetings.  Emerging findings will be agreed between the Inspectorates.

Initial feedback to agency.

Emerging findings will be provided to the PSNI once fieldwork and data analysis has concluded.

Drafting of report

Following completion of the fieldwork and analysis of data, CJI will prepare a draft report that includes relevant HMICFRS fieldwork and analysis content.  CJI’s draft report will follow the usual report structure with strategic and operational recommendations and areas for improvement as appropriate and will be shared with HMICFRS for factual accuracy and terminology checks before being finalised.  The final draft report will then be shared with the PSNI for factual accuracy check.  The Chief Inspector will invite the PSNI to complete an action plan within six weeks to address the recommendations and if the plan has been agreed and is available it will be published as part of the final Inspection Report.  The Inspection Report will be shared, under embargo, in advance of the publication date with the PSNI.

Publication and Closure

The Inspection Report will be sent to the Minister of Justice for permission to publish.  When permission is received the report will be finalised for publication.  A press release will be drafted and shared with the PSNI and NIPB prior to publication and release.  A publication date will be agreed and the report will be issued.

Indicative Timetable

Scoping/Research: February/March 2026.

Stakeholder consultation: May/June 2026.

Agency fieldwork: June 2026 (Phase 1: quality service review)/October (Phase 2: on-site PSNI fieldwork).

Draft Report to agencies: January 2027.

Factual accuracy feedback received: February 2027.

The above timetable may be impacted by factors outside CJI’s control.  The PSNI will be kept advised of any significant changes to the indicative timetable.

---

[1] CJI, Community Safety and Local Policing Arrangements in Northern Ireland, March 2024 available at https://www.cjini.org/reports/community-safety-and-local-policing-arrangements-in-northern-ireland/.

[2] CJI, Business Plan and Inspection Programme 2025-26, June 2025 available at https://www.cjini.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/CJI-Business-Plan-2025-26.pdf.

[3] HMICFRS, PEEL assessment framework 2025-27, April 2025 available at https://hmicfrs.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/publication-html/peel-assessment-framework-2025-2027/.

[4] Risk assessment – A professional judgment to identify potential risks and evaluate how serious they might be.  Assessing risk helps police forces and fire and rescue services decide how best to protect the public, particularly vulnerable people, in different situations.

In policing, risk assessments can also help to:

• manage serious offenders; and
• improve how locations such as crime hotspots are identified and managed.

There is no standard risk assessment model for the British police service.  But risk assessment should be guided by the national decision model.

[5] See https://www.cjini.org/report-category/policing/.

[6] See https://www.psni.police.uk/report.

[7] The PSNI reduced the number of enquiry offices open to the public from 28 to 17, see https://www.psni.police.uk/about-us/local-policing#:~:text=There%20are%2011%20policing%20districts,service%20to%20neighbourhoods%20and%20residents.

[8] PSNI, Police Service of Northern Ireland to pilot a new online service to the public titled ‘Virtual Officer Attendance’, April 2025 available at https://www.psni.police.uk/latest-news/police-service-northern-ireland-pilot-new-online-service-public-titled-virtual-officer. 

[9] NIPB, The Policing Plan 2025-2030 and Annual Performance Plan 2025-26, available at https://www.nipolicingboard.org.uk/policing-plan-annual-performance-plan.

[10] PSNI, Annual Report and Accounts For the year ended 31 March 2025, September 2025 available at https://www.psni.police.uk/about-us/our-departments/corporate-services/financial-services-branch.

[11] See https://www.psni.police.uk/about-us/our-publications-and-reports/our-performance.

[12] PSNI, Submission to Stormont Executive’s Draft Programme for Government, undated, available at https://www.psni.police.uk/submission-stormont-executives-draft-programme-government.

[13] See https://www.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/concern-for-welfare/right-care-right-person/. 

[14] See Question 5 of PEEL assessment framework 2025-27, available at https://hmicfrs.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/publication-html/peel-assessment-framework-2025-2027/.

[15] HMICFRS, Peel quality service review – technical methodology, August 2025, available at https://hmicfrs.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/publication-html/quality-service-review-technical-methodology-2025/.

Please note: URLs included in these Terms of Reference may stop working overtime