Policing Board members want to bring PSNI 'back to where it should be': Trevor Clarke

By Press Association
Published 7th Sep 2023, 09:49 BST
Updated 7th Sep 2023, 11:01 BST
Former PSNI Chief Constable Simon Byrne and Assistant Chief Constable Chris Todd. Photo: Arthur Allison/Pacemaker Press.Former PSNI Chief Constable Simon Byrne and Assistant Chief Constable Chris Todd. Photo: Arthur Allison/Pacemaker Press.
Former PSNI Chief Constable Simon Byrne and Assistant Chief Constable Chris Todd. Photo: Arthur Allison/Pacemaker Press.
DUP MLA and NI policing board member Trevor Clarke said the board, which will meet on Thursday morning, will aim to bring the PSNI back to where it should be.

“The aim is to try and fix it and bring it back to where it should be,” he said.“I think it would be unfair to say no one is concerned at the minute because we all are.”

SDLP MLA and policing board member Mark Durkan said the board would need to put their heads together, as they meet this morning to discuss the crisis in leadership in the PSNI.“It is vitally important that we put our heads together and plot a way forward to get out of this to return some stability to the police service and to assist the officers doing their job,” he said.

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Asked on the concerns the Police Federation for Northern Ireland has expressed with the function of the policing board throughout the current crisis in the PSNI, Mr Durkan said they could not be ignored.

“I don’t think it’s something that we can ignore, absolutely not. I’ve heard their concerns and I have to say I share some of their concerns, so all those matters will be discussed today and many days after this I suppose,” he said.

Alliance MLA and policing board member Nuala McAllister said the “fixation on individuals” is becoming damaging for the PSNI ahead of the board meeting in Belfast.

On Wednesday rank and file officers from the Police Federation of Northern Ireland unanimously passed a vote of no confidence in Deputy Chief Constable Mark Hamilton, and also expressed no confidence in the PSNI’s chief operating officer, Pamela McCreedy, and assistant chief officer Clare Duffield.

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“Alliance have been clear from the very start that we need to have proper process, and that’s why we called for a review of the senior executive team,” Ms McAllister said.

“But the fixation on individuals I think is getting really unhealthy for the PSNI and we need to make sure that as a board, we do our work, we ask the right questions we hold people to account.

“Today there are many items on the agenda. It’s not just about the crisis that’s actually facing the PSNI today, but it’s about making sure that the PSNI continues because remember, there are officers on the ground still doing the work.

“So there’s a lot of issues to get through today, and we’ll make sure that we do our role properly.”