Sinn Féin delegation to meet with Chief Constable

A Sinn Féin delegation led by Party President Gerry Adams, and including Policing spokesperson Gerry Kelly, Caitriona Ruane, Michelle Gildernew and Alex Maskey, is to meet the PSNI Chief Constable Hugh Orde at PSNI Headquarters in Knock tomorrow afternoon.

Commenting on the meeting, which will be the first time Gerry Adams has been in the east Belfast headquarters, Gerry Kelly said: “Tomorrow's meeting with the PSNI Chief Constable will provide an opportunity to deal with a number of key issues, including the importance of the PSNI carrying out its duties and responsibilities in a fair and impartial way, as a civic police service, which is democratically accountable to the public.”

Mr Kelly said that policing with the community needs to be the core function of any civic policing service and especially in relation to protecting the most vulnerable sections of the community, including the elderly, women and children, and those subject to homophobic, sectarian and racist attacks and car crime and death riders.

Mr Kelly continued: “Political, civic and community leaders have an important role to play here also.

“Obviously the recent report by the Police Ombudsman and the issue of collusion will top our agenda. But we also intend raising with Mr. Orde the concerns of bereaved families who want truth about the deaths of their loved ones, and are worried that the PSNI may use Public Interest Immunity Certificates to withhold evidence from Coroners Courts. The harassment of young people in Castlederg will also be raised.”

(EF)