As far back as 2005, the then Northern Ireland Policing Board censured one of its members, Ian Paisley Jr, over homophobic remarks he made about a staff member of the late David Trimble who had entered into a same-sex marriage in Canada.
As an independent member of the Policing Board, this writer moved the motion saying such remarks were incompatible with the inclusive nature of the policies and practices being promoted by the Board. At the same time, there had been a marked increase in the number of homophobic attacks throughout Northern Ireland.
Unsurprisingly, the DUP didn’t support the censure.
That was 2005. Since then, there have been substantial advances towards a more equal society.
People have moved on – even if the DUP hasn’t.
Pride is now the largest community-based festival in the north. It’s a riot of colour and a celebration of diversity.
A positive outworking of achieving equality was the visible presence of uniformed PSNI officers as part of the annual Pride March.
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Therefore, it was rather surprising to hear the recent announcement by ACC Bobby Singleton that uniformed officers would be no longer allowed to participate. This is a retrograde step. It sends out all the wrong messages to LGBT+ officers, to potential PSNI recruits and to the wider community.
The PSNI leadership has got this wrong. So too has the NI Policing Board by not calling it out.
Both the PSNI and Board have been failing organisations for a very long time. The Northern Ireland Office and the Department of Justice have also failed the PSNI.
In reality, the PSNI has had to cope with doing more with limited financial resources. Budgetary cuts have been more acute in Northern Ireland than for police services in England and Wales.
By the official figures provided, there is a £80 million deficit in the policing budget. It’s become a financial black hole.
As a consequence, there are 309 fewer police officers than before.
Between April 2022 and May 2023, a mind blowing 766 PSNI officers were on sick leave – a 25 per cent increase on the previous year.
Increasing levels of sick leave in any organisation/business may lead to the obvious conclusion there’s an emerging kitchen culture which is not positive.
It’s more than reasonable to ask how the PSNI sick leave levels compare to those in the other emergency services in Northern Ireland or against other police services in the UK or Ireland.
Political members of the Board often use membership as another political platform.
The Board’s relationship with the PSNI hierarchy can sometimes appear too cosy, too comfortable.
In 2019, an evaluation by the NI Audit office said that a key policy proposed by the PSNI top brass, called Priority Based Resourcing, had not only failed to achieve its promised outcomes but appeared to have been entered into without any anticipation of the negative consequences. This is a major failing.
In addition to operational failures the PSNI has haemorrhaged senior skilled staff to other UK police services or the Gardai.
Has the NI Policing Board started to question why the PSNI appears to be unable to retain talented and experienced senior management? The exodus list is embarrassingly long. Chief Constable Simon Byrne needs to provide answers.
Mr Byrne recently announced that upwards of 500 police officers are off sick on any given day. He also revealed that a further 1,080 officers are on “light duties”.
Operationally this isn’t sustainable. One suspects Byrne knows this.
The refusal to reinstate 50:50 recruitment flies in the face of demographic changes in Northern Ireland. As the Catholic population grows in NI, PSNI recruitment levels amongst the Catholic community falls. Soon a precarious and irreversible line may be crossed.
Recently the Policing Board unanimously agreed to extend the contract of the Chief Constable to 2027. There was little public comment. Perhaps it’s time for Patten Mark II?
