Department of Justice (DoJ) Draft Organised Crime Strategy for Northern Ireland 2020-23

Overview

Department of Justice (DoJ) is consulting on a new multi-agency draft strategy to protect individuals, communities and businesses in Northern Ireland from organised crime.  This seeks to build on and enhance the considerable body of work and structures already in place to support multi-agency collaboration in response to organised criminality.

The draft strategy has been developed and informed through significant engagement with other partners across Government and law enforcement, and in particular, by close engagement with partner organisations represented on the Organised Crime Task Force (OCTF).  In its development, the Department has also been informed by intelligence and information provided by law enforcement partners and has taken account of ongoing work, initiatives and strategic approaches that have been put in place in neighbouring jurisdictions in the UK and Ireland, and internationally.

Why your views matter

The purpose of this consultation is to invite views on the draft Strategy.  In addition to the law enforcement partners that have already been involved, the Department is also very interested in receiving views and comments from local councils in Northern Ireland, businesses and private sector organisations, faith groups, organisations within the voluntary and community sector, and individual members of the wider public.

What happens next

Any comments or suggestions received by the closing date of 2 October will be fully considered by the Department, with any further appropriate revisions then made to the strategy before final publication, subject to approvals. 

The Department intends to publish a summary of responses on its website.  Any contact details or information that would identify a respondent as a private individual will be removed prior to publication.  All information will be handled in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA).

Respondents should also be aware that the Department’s obligations under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA) may require that any responses not subject to specific exemptions under the Act be communicated to third parties on request.