NI Policing Board – Slugger O'Toole

“Fair employment and equal opportunities legislation are built upon open and transparent practices, free from political interference…”

Pete Baker on February 19, 2019, 4:26 pm

| Readers 1788

The, at best, ill-considered comments by Sinn Féin president Mary Lou McDonald yesterday, on potential candidates from within the PSNI to succeed George Hamilton as Chief Constable, have prompted a sharp reminder from the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland to the NI Policing Board of its responsibilities under equality legislation to recruit in a non-discriminatory way. The Equality Commission has expressed its concern about the recent comments made by the Sinn Féin President about the appointment of a new Chief …

Casement Park Development: Further allegations at Assembly Committee Hearing

Pete Baker on July 9, 2015, 7:08 pm

| Readers 1618

The BBC reports that GAA official, and independent Northern Ireland Policing Board member, Ryan Feeney, has threatened “immediate [legal] action” following further allegations by the chairman of the safety technical group, Sport NI’s Paul Scott, of pressure being exerted to drop concerns about safety at the controversial proposed £70million redevelopment of Casement Park in west Belfast. Mr Scott was appearing again in front of the NI Assembly Committee for Culture, Arts and Leisure. From the BBC report Mr Feeney later issued …

Lord Carlile: “Peace is in no small way the result of these efforts by PSNI and MI5 personnel.”

Pete Baker on March 26, 2015, 7:33 pm

| Readers 1691

On 20th March the Order in Council extending the operations of the UK National Crime Agency to Northern Ireland came into power – despite the challenge that presents to the Speaker of the NI Assembly – bringing us into line with the rest of the UK in the process. On the same date the NI Secretary of State of State, Theresa Villiers, made a written statement to the House of Commons on the report by Lord Carlile, the independent reviewer of national security …

The PSNI Historic Enquiries Team is dead; Long live the Legacy Investigations Branch

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast) on December 4, 2014, 5:56 pm

| Readers 698

There was a clue in the Chief Constable’s speech this morning to the Dignity and Rights conference. Addressing the NI Policing Board this afternoon, George Hamilton outlined how he planned to address his responsibilities for reviewing legacy cases. LEGACY REVIEWS AND INVESTIGATIONS In my October Report, I outlined the effective closure of HET as a result of the end of our temporary workers contract. As Chief Constable, I have a number of statutory responsibilities regarding the past. These include the …

Sinn Féin: “In light of the need for absolute transparency in all public appointments and to protect the Policing Board’s integrity…”

Pete Baker on September 15, 2014, 8:25 pm

| Readers 1994

Earlier today the Sinn Féin MLA, and member of the Northern Ireland Policing Board, Caitríona Ruane, suddenly announced that she was unilaterally withdrawing from the panel to recruit a new PSNI Deputy Chief Constable – claiming that she “[believed] that the process may have been compromised”. Here’s the statement from Sinn Féin Sinn Féin MLA and Policing Board member Caitríona Ruane has withdrawn from the panel to recruit a new PSNI deputy chief constable and called for a fresh recruitment process. The Policing Board member said; “I …

The next Chief Constable… is George Hamilton

Pete Baker on May 29, 2014, 3:46 pm

| Readers 302

Meanwhile, back at the ranch… Having “unanimously” agreed to appoint Matt Baggott as PSNI Chief Constable in 2009 for his strong advocacy of “community-style policing”, the Northern Ireland Policing Board, or its party political members, might be said to be experiencing buyer’s regret. Alternatively, those same political parties have undermined the outgoing Chief Constable throughout his tenure by putting their own party political concerns ahead of the ‘greater good’ – by word, and by deed. [“ahem* – Ed]. ANYhoo… with Matt Baggott announcing his …

Matt Baggott: “Under the Patten architecture, to which all political parties have signed up…”

Pete Baker on May 6, 2014, 5:39 pm

| Readers 95

PSNI Chief Constable Matt Baggott has rejected Sinn Fein’s claims of “political policing” in the arrest and questioning of party president Gerry Adams. And in doing so he highlights an inconvenient truth for the Northern Ireland deputy First Minister. From the BBC report In a statement on Tuesday, Mr Baggott said the accusation of a “dark side” within the PSNI was one he refuted. “Under the Patten architecture, to which all political parties have signed up, there are numerous ways …

Mr Justice Treacy: “It is evident that ACC Kerr was labouring under a material misapprehension as to the proper scope of police powers…”

Pete Baker on April 28, 2014, 10:09 pm

| Readers 375

The Chief Constable, Matt Baggott, has reportedly said that the police will appeal the High Court decision allowing “an application for a judicial review of the PSNI’s policing of the flag protests in Belfast between 8 December 2012 and 14 February 2013.” From the reported ruling Mr Justice Treacy was less than impressed by Assistant Chief Constable Will Kerr’s interpretation of the legal position. As the summary of the judgment notes [added emphasis] The Court heard evidence from [Assistant] Chief Constable Will …

NI Justice Minister: “I trust that the executive will recognise that it is the right decision, and that I was right to make it”

Pete Baker on January 31, 2014, 4:46 pm

| Readers 96

In the aftermath of the Northern Ireland First and deputy First Ministers/Executive/Assembly/Policing Board members semi-detached polit-bureau’s kerfuffle over the NI Justice Minister’s proposed changes to the criteria for the next Chief Constable, Liam Clarke reveals some significant correspondence on the matter. Firstly, the Chief Executive of the NI Policing Board, Sam Pollock, tries his hand at herding cats to put some manners on members of the Board. In his letter to Policing Board members, Mr Pollock wrote: “I am disappointed in the …

NI Justice Minister: “It is important to note that, in setting some minimum standards, I am not prohibiting the Board from adding to these minimum criteria…”

Pete Baker on January 28, 2014, 2:39 pm

| Readers 84

Whilst Brian may regard them as “surely sensible” changes to the criteria for the next Chief Constable, and they may well be, as I mentioned in updates to a previous post, no sooner had the Northern Ireland Justice Minister, the Alliance Party’s David Ford, announced those changes than the NI First and deputy First Ministers promptly agreed to exercise their prerogative to call his decision into the dysfunctional NI Executive semi-detached polit-bureau [Where it will be put to the sword… – …

Memo to the next Chief Constable: “It sounds to me like a battle a day – a siege.”

Mick Fealty on January 24, 2014, 11:50 am

| Readers 134

I’m sure it is only decent christian forbearance that stops the Chief Constable Matt Baggott from telling his political employers exactly what he thinks of them. They booked him for the gig knowing exactly what they were getting, and they could have sacked him at any point after. Not that you’d know that from their public utterances during the last two or three summers. The running public commentary (which contrived to undermine the cops very cops they themselves are in …

Matt Baggott to step down as PSNI Chief Constable

Pete Baker on January 22, 2014, 12:41 pm

| Readers 146

Having been appointed, unanimously, by the Northern Ireland Policing Board in August 2009, PSNI Chief Constable Matt Baggott is to step down from the post. And, apparently, he is to retire from policing after a 37-year-long career. His contract was due to end in September 2014. Presumably he will remain in position here until then… From the BBC report He took up the job as head of the Police Service of Northern Ireland in August 2009 and his contract ends in September 2014. …

Chief Constable Matt Baggott to retire later this year & not extend his contract

Alan Meban (Alan in Belfast) on January 22, 2014, 12:31 pm

| Readers 124

Chief Constable Matt Baggott has announced that he will retire and not seek an extension to his contract. UTV quote from his email to PSNI colleagues: I wanted to let you know that I have notified the Policing Board this morning of my intention to retire from the PSNI later this year. As such I will not be seeking an extension to my contract which ends in September 2014. I felt it important that you should hear about this first …

“The Board has no confidence in the leadership of the Historical Enquiries Team…”

Pete Baker on July 5, 2013, 6:25 pm

| Readers 114

The Northern Ireland Policing Board has agreed a response to the critical HMIC Report on the Inspection of the PSNI Historical Enquiries Team. The BBC’s headline may be somewhat misleading, it’s the leadership of the HET that the Board have no confidence in. From the NI Policing Board statement The following has been agreed: The Board has no confidence in the leadership of the Historical Enquiries Team and the Chief Constable has been asked to review and action the management …

Sinn Féin: Hyde Park bomb charges “vindictive, unnecessary and unhelpful”

Pete Baker on May 22, 2013, 5:02 pm

| Readers 120

Reports that John Anthony Downey, 61, from County Donegal, has been charged with the murder of four members of the Royal Household Cavalry in the 1982 Provisional IRA bombing in Hyde Park, London – he was arrested on Sunday at Gatwick Airport – has prompted a statement from Sinn Féin’s Gerry Kelly, MLA and member of the Northern Ireland Policing Board. From the Sinn Féin statement [added emphasis throughout] [Gerry Kelly] “John Downey is a member of Sinn Féin and a long time supporter of the …

PSNI: “if the NCA is unable to operate fully in Northern Ireland, this will have a detrimental impact on our ability to keep people safe”

Pete Baker on May 15, 2013, 6:15 pm

| Readers 128

With continued political deadlock here over the new UK National Crime Agency (NCA) the PSNI have issued a statement warning of potential problems ahead, and proposing a suggested solution to complaints about accountability. From the PSNI statement Criminality has no respect for boundaries. It is therefore vitally important that the PSNI can access both the international reach which the NCA will provide and the ability to draw down on the expertise that the agency will offer. This expertise will include: …

“Our job is to express the concerns as we hear them in the community…”

Pete Baker on March 4, 2013, 8:55 pm

| Readers 78

If it’s not Sinn Féin complaining about ‘political policing’, it’s the DUP. Mr Robinson said that trust needed to be rebuilt. “It’s important that the police gain the confidence of the unionist community, or regain the confidence of that section of the unionist community who have lost confidence in the police, by showing that his actions were entirely even-handed,” Mr Robinson said. “Our job is to express the concerns as we hear them in the community. [Good to see both parties are still …

Matt Baggott: “we will deal firmly with outbreaks of violence…”

Pete Baker on January 7, 2013, 12:09 am

| Readers 59

The BBC report on the continuing violence in Belfast now has quotes from the PSNI Chief Constable Matt Baggott [Is he back from his holidays? – Ed] “I want to commend the tireless courage of my officers at this very difficult time,” Chief Constable Matt Baggott said. “You may be assured there will be sufficient resources in the event of more disorder for however long is necessary. “The police service will continue to do everything possible to maintain law and …

“The board broke its own equal opportunity rules.”

Pete Baker on June 3, 2011, 8:33 pm

| Readers 23

According to a BBC report, the Northern Ireland Policing Board spent £200,000 fighting a fair employment tribunal ruling only to, eventually, settle out of court under a confidentiality agreement. The case had been brought by journalist Chris Ryder. From the BBC report However, Mr Ryder said he feels justified in breaking the terms because of “the gross misuse of public money”. “The board broke its own equal opportunity rules. It manipulated the election process to discriminate against me,” he said. “They destroyed …

“The Board should implement swiftly an action plan in response to the Independent Assessment Report”

Pete Baker on May 25, 2011, 1:38 pm

| Readers 7

With the new members of the Northern Ireland Policing Board taking their seats, UTV notes the NI Audit Office’s report to the NI Assembly on “Continuous improvement arrangements in the Northern Ireland Policing Board”. From the UTV report The report into the Policing Board claims the board’s approach to evaluations needs to be reviewed and the assessment of police performance should be a mix of quantitative and qualitative indicators. Mr Donnelly claimed the focus should be on service quality rather than specific …