Ross Hussey: No politician has the right to direct the Chief Constable in respect of officers’ conduct

I had no 'operational control' or indeed any authority over the Chief Constable in the day to day running of the police.

In February 2021 two relatively junior police Constables came across a commemoration service, which they observed, the people participating were in breach of Covid regulations.

The court has determined these two officers did their job professionally and within all the guidelines open to them. I understand the video evidence supporting their actions was made available to the court.

The Deputy Chief Constable and the Chief Constable determined their actions were such that they should be disciplined with one suspended and another transferred.

This was using the same video evidence produced to the court.

Gerry Kelly has admitted he contacted the Chief Constable but he says he did not threaten to collapse the Policing Board but that he 'raised concerns about 'the treatment of victims and their families.'

They also were concerned about the arrest of a victim who was shot during the 1992 Sean Graham’s Bookies massacre'. This man refused to provide his identity to the two officers that did not know him.

In relation to the two police officers they were treated appallingly by the police authorities, Sinn Fein were acting on 'hearsay' unless Gerry Kelly MLA was at the scene and can provide evidence which goes contrary to the facts stated by the police officers backed up by video evidence.

Was the Minister of Justice made aware of this incident and Sinn Féin's involvement, and if she was she must issue a statement about her involvement?

When the two officers were suspended and there were calls by Unionist politicians for the Chief Constable to be dismissed I suggested he and the Deputy Chief Constable be suspended by the Board and a Chief Officer from another force investigate their actions.

The Chief Constable's contract was extended by this Board recently supported by all political parties.

This situation questions not only the Chief and Deputy Chief Constable's ability to hold senior command positions it questions the ability of the NI Policing Board to fulfil it duty to 'oversee policing in Northern Ireland or holding the Chief and Deputy Chief Constable to account' No politician has the right to direct the Chief Constable in respect of conduct of officers, nor have they the right to demand special treatment for any section of society.

The Chief and Deputy Chief must now be suspended and a senior officer drafted in to report on the specific case and investigate morale within the PSNI following the fiasco of the GDPR breaches and other issues such as those who have been in temporary promotions for extended periods and make recommendations direct to HM Government with regard to funding.

The Government should also suspend the NI Policing Board and replace with say 12 Commissioners so that the remit of the Board can be clarified and bring in penalties that can be imposed on politicians who breach their responsibility such as when Catriona Ruane walked out of a selection process and made certain public utterances whilst the selection procedure was ongoing,

Gerry Kelly's attempt to stop a police landrover by lying on the bonnet of a moving vehicle, and his latest interference in a police investigation. Perhaps the membership of the board should be reviewed and the numbers of political representatives reduced and the various 'chairs' of committee's passed to independents?

Ross Hussey is a former UUP MLA for West Tyrone