PFNI: New Ombudsman has ‘lot of re-building to do’

The Police Federation for Northern Ireland says it will judge the newly appointed Police Ombudsman on how she deals with officers investigated by her office.

PFNI Chair Liam Kelly said Ombudsman Jacqui Durkin has ‘a lot of re-building’ to do with both serving and retired officers who felt they were badly treated by the office in the past.

Mr Kelly said: “Ms Durkin has a long road ahead. We wish to have a constructive relationship with her and her team but that cuts both ways.

“In the past, PONI didn’t cover itself in glory. It was dismissive and aloof on the negative impact on officers and their careers on how long their investigations were taking. Also, on occasions, legitimate concerns in respect of fairness and objectivity appeared to fall on deaf ears as it went about its investigations. 

“Hopefully we will see an end to the Ombudsman giving opinions and making findings of guilt in the absence of an evidence base or indeed process for both criminal and misconduct matters. 

“The new Ombudsman has a lot of re-building ahead of her if officers’ negative and often justified criticisms of PONI are to be addressed.

“The job officers do is difficult enough without PONI taking protracted timeframes to make criminal and misconduct recommendations that by their own statistics are often unwarranted. We have too few officers as it is and any suggestion that those under investigation by PONI should be taken off frontline duties or suspended is wholly unrealistic.

“The culture that has been the hallmark of PONI where officers are treated as guilty before the start of an investigation has to end. We will judge Ms Durkan on how she actually deals with our colleagues who come under her notice.

“Ms Durkin has an opportunity to re-set what was often a strained relationship with this Federation, and I hope she takes it up.”