Policing Board Vice Chairman addresses AGSI Conference

The Vice Chairman of the Northern Ireland Policing Board, has told the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI) at their annual conference in County Cork today, "not to fear change" and to "look to the north and the changes and achievements in policing" when looking to their own policing future.

Speaking at the invitation of the AGSI National Executive on the second day of the Conference, Denis Bradley said that one of the real achievements in Northern Ireland in recent years was the progress that had been made, and was continuing to be made, in policing.

Referring to a previous speaker's comments on the lack of provision for a national policing board or police authority for the Garda in the bill currently passing through the Dáil, Mr Bradley said the Policing Board had been set up to ensure for all the people of Northern Ireland the delivery of an effective, efficient and impartial police service that secures the confidence of the whole community.

"In short, we hold the Chief Constable to account and it is without doubt one of the cornerstones of modern policing in the north and one of the most important Patten Recommendations made, and it works,” he said.

Mr Bradley said a recent independent survey had revealed that 84% of people in Northern Ireland had heard of the Policing Board, and 74% thought that it helped ensure that the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) was doing a good job.

Mr Bradley elaborated on some of the Policing Board’s successes over the past two and a half years.

These included the Human Resources Planning Strategy, developed with PSNI to ensure that the right people are delivering the right service direct to the community at the right time.

He also emphasised the PSNIs Code of Ethics, a unique Code in European policing that the Board launched in February 2003, that sets out standards of conduct and practice for all PSNI officers and makes police officers aware of the rights and obligations arising out of the European Convention on Human Rights.

Mr Bradley also spoke about the District Policing Partnerships (DPPs) as "another of the cornerstones to 21st century policing in Northern Ireland".

(SP)