Press Releases - 2003

18 March 2003

Statement re Omdudsman - complaints from Solicitors

The Police Federation for Northern Ireland is dismayed that a survey of the legal profession which has elicited the information that 55 solicitors/barristers have made allegations against the Police Service has been used to criticise the force unfairly.

The Federation believes that anonymous complaints of this kind are of no value and that complaints should be made properly by named individuals to the Ombudsmans office so that they can be properly investigated. There are clear guidelines and there is a clear police ethic that the legal profession should be allowed to conduct their business on behalf of their clients without police harassment. This is fully understood by police officers and anonymous complaints do not advance the fostering of professional standards.

A survey such as this is really nothing more than a publicity stunt unless properly substantiated and capable of investigation.