Letter: We are 43 former PSNI officers who reject entirely a claim that we are sectarian

We are a group of 43 retired PSNI officers who were members of the same Tactical Support Group (TSG) that served with the former PSNI officer known as ‘Sean’.

We are a cross-community group of both men and women, collectively our testimony covers the full 15 years Sean was in our team.

Firstly, we repeat our utter rejection that any sectarian or bullying behaviour occurred in our team, as was reported in an interview with Sean reported on the front page of the Belfast Telegraph on Saturday March 8, and on two pages inside that edition.

There was no sectarian culture in our team and we also fully supported Sean through personal and professional challenges. Our TSG was renowned across the PSNI for its professionalism, internal cohesion and community sensitivity.

We also want to put on record our concern for Sean’s welfare. We are bewildered at what has happened and hope Sean has some support around him.

However, the attack on our collective integrity has been a serious one. It has caused untold hurt to us and undoubtedly our serving TSG colleagues; it has damaged the reputation and morale of the entire PSNI.

We will not rest until our reputations have been restored.

We are securing evidence to assist in any future litigation, and we have provided our details to PSNI Legal Services Branch. We have requested a meeting with the chief constable to discuss the handling of this issue. We note that the chief constable and his deputy have offered to meet Sean. We trust they will promptly agree to meeting us.

We are disappointed that despite the significant media coverage given to the unsubstantiated allegations made by Sean, there has been far less coverage in the media given to our rebuttals.

We note the chief constable said at the Policing Board on April 3 that he is neutral in respect of this allegation. Whilst all complaints must be received and investigated with an open mind to prove or disprove them, adopting a position of neutrality in this case is unfair.

An allegation has been made anonymously and without a formal complaint and it is therefore not being investigated. In contrast to one anonymous report, the chief constable has 43 retired officers, and an entire TSG saying the allegations are categorically untrue and offering to provide sworn testimony.

Not only should those accused be afforded the presumption of innocence, but it is perverse to give equal weight to one anonymous complainant as to dozens of rebuttals.

We feel for our serving colleagues who are still in this TSG. Policing in Northern Ireland is challenging enough, without having to serve under a cloud of suspicion that seems immovable because it not being investigated.

43 retired PSNI TSG officers, Names supplied