Letter: The Northern Ireland Policing Board is alert to challenges facing the PSNI

One thing Rev Dr Norman Hamilton is correct about in his letter to the editor on May 4 (The PSNI need support yet Policing Board seems to stay silent), is the observation that the chief constable has much to fill up his in-tray.

Attacks and threats made against officers and staff, professional standards issues, resourcing pressures, and difficult choices around the ability of the policing service to meet current and future policing demand alongside rising community expectations.

As chair of the Northern Ireland Policing Board, I would like to reassure Rev Hamilton that he should not be “deeply troubled” as his view that the board is tone deaf to the challenges faced by the PSNI are completely unfounded. It is clear, as indicated in his scan of the board website, that he has “missed something” in statements issued, but also by not tuning into the monthly board meetings in public over the last year where the challenges facing policing have been discussed and scrutinised at length.

Indeed, so concerned was the board about the impact of the “nasty staffing issues” referenced were having on the reputation, confidence in and support for policing, that a special review to provide public assurance on the issues was conducted by the board. Within that report, “credit where credit is due” the board recognised the chief constable for efforts to deal with the issue.

In the letter, questions are raised around support from both myself and the vice chair for the PSNI. On taking up the position of Policing Board chair in December 2022, my first published statement on the Report on the Human Rights of Police Officers and Staff stated “that it is crucial that our officers and staff feel supported and recognised for the difficult role they do”. Since then, in all my dealings with the chief constable and the leadership team in public and private sessions of the board, and in addressing all sorts of events involving officers, staff, and others, I have made it my business to do just that. And in terms of recognising the efforts of policing the recent high-profile visits, I, along with the vice chair of the board, personally visited the officers in charge of the policing operation to thank them for their work. Small gestures are often much more meaningful than grand statements.

It is also important to say that the recent despicable attack on DCI Caldwell resulted in a show of solidarity and support for policing from the board. That unequivocal support from across the political and independent membership of the board also manifested in recent months around discussion on resourcing levels and the consequences of reducing resources to the safety and security of our community. Advocacy and support that was conveyed both privately and publicly.

It is very much the case that public support for policing cannot be taken for granted, it must be grounded in public confidence that the service meets the standards expected of policing by the community and this is the board’s oversight and accountability role. It is not the Policing Board’s job to unambiguously voice support policing, but we will voice support where and when appropriate. As a board, we absolutely support and call for people across the community, in the public and private sector, to work with the police service to make our community safer. We all have a responsibility to do that and I trust that Norman will continue to be energised in his work on the PCSP to do just that.

Deirdre Toner

Policing Board chair