Simon Byrne ‘only chief constable in UK embarrassed to remember fallen colleagues’: Wilson

Commenting on the fallout from the PSNI’s review of policing in South Armagh, the DUP MP said the chief constable must be the only police chief in the United Kingdom “who is ashamed and embarrassed to remember those police officers who gave their lives in service of our community”.

Simon Byrne has faced scathing criticism this week after giving his backing to the 50 recommendations contained in the 170-page report – including a commitment to explore the relocation of memorials to “an agreed space in the station away from public locations and main thoroughfares” .

While the report also notes this to be a “sensitive” issue, the review points out that such memorials are viewed differently by various communities.

“Memorials commemorating the past continue to have a profound impact on the police culture of today. This is particularly relevant for South Armagh where the level of police loss was great,” the review team reported.

In a statement on Wednesday night, Mr Byrne said: “This afternoon I spoke to the chair of the Royal Ulster Constabulary George Cross Foundation and gave him an assurance there would be no removal of memorials to fallen colleagues from any operational police stations.

“As I said yesterday in relation to Crossmaglen, with any agreed station closure and redevelopment, comes an inevitable requirement to consider how best to manage the transition of memorials and honour our fallen colleagues.

“When this time comes this will be handled properly and with sensitivity and in full consultation with the families of those murdered delivering policing in South Armagh.”

However, Sammy Wilson said he was “appalled” to learn that police memorials have already been “hidden away” in other stations.

“No other chief constable would dare make the suggestion that memorials to fallen colleagues, murdered in the line of duty, should be hidden away for fear of causing offence,” Mr Wilson said.

“Recently, on a visit to Lisburn Road police station, I was appalled to learn that memorials to officers based at that station had been removed from the public reception area.

“It appears that the policy of relocating memorials is already underway.

“There now appears to be systematic opposition within the senior leadership of the PSNI to public police memorials.”

Mr Wilson added: For members of Simon Byrne’s senior command team to believe this policy was acceptable is doubly offence.

“Some of them served alongside those who lost their lives and are now complicit in trying to sanitise their service from history.”

READ: Memorial to fallen police officers returned to original position

READ: RUC memorials ‘not being taken away’ says PSNI