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Press Releases - 2003

28 March 2003

CHIEF CONSTABLE TO SET UP MURDER REVIEW TEAM

Central Committee of the Police Federation for Northern Ireland today released details of a move by the Chief Constable to set up a Murder Review Team whose remit would include the investigation of the unsolved murders of police officers killed over the past 35 years.

The Federation believes that the families and widows of police officers are entitled to closure on the circumstances of the murdered officers and that the passage of time does not diminish the obligation of the Police Service to investigate. In fact advances in technology and the greater opportunity to review circumstances may actually lead to convictions. Approximately two thirds of the 302 murders remain unsolved.

The Federation has discussed the contents of the Chief Constable's letter with the RUC Widows' Association, the Parents' Association and the Disabled Police Officers' Association. All have given support to the Federation and have welcomed the Chief Constable's commitment.

The Chief Constable has offered further talks on how precisely this will be taken forward. In particular, substantial additional resources from Government need to be made available to the Chief Constable if this issue is to be properly addressed. The Federation intends to pursue the need for additional resources direct with the Northern Ireland Office.

The Federation believes that retrospective solving of murders may also bring justice to other families. The Federation invites anyone in the community with information to come forward in the new circumstances of Northern Ireland to help in this process of bringing closure.

Letter from Chief Constable re: Murder Review Team

Response to Chief Constable from PFNI

The above letters are in Adobe PDF format. A free PDF reader can be obtained from www.adobe.com

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