Department of Justice 'no plans to change guidelines' after TUV leader Jim Allister says PSNI and Police Ombudsman 'blank' him over PSNI's GAA celebrations in Camlough
The Department of Justice has no plans to change guidelines which one MP says has created a "preposterous situation" where he cannot use official channels to lodge complaints from constituents.
The Department of Justice (DOJ) issued the response after North Antrim MP Jim Allister complained that the PSNI and Police Ombudsman have refused to engage with him in relation to PSNI officers driving police vehicles in a questionable manner in south Armagh after Armagh won the All-Ireland GAA championship recently.
"I was advised by the Ombudsman that they would not investigate my complaint because I had not personally witnessed the incident," he said on Thursday. "Now the PSNI have written to me and told me that they will not be providing updates on their investigation into the matter to me because I 'did not directly witness the incident'. He added: “This has resulted in the preposterous situation where public representatives with a significant mandate are denied the ability to use the appropriate channels to lodge official complaints which are brought to us by the public.” However the DOJ responded that it has no plans to review guidance on the matter.
A DoJ spokesperson said: “The PSNI and OPONI are operationally independent from the Department of Justice with the Chief Constable directly accountable to the Policing Board. It is essential that the Department respects that independence and as such cannot comment on ongoing investigations.
"The Department of Justice has no plans to review who can make a complaint in relation to the Police. The existing guidance provides for any member of the public, who has had occasion to be well informed as to the facts of the incident, to make a complaint.”
The News Letter contacted the Police Ombudsman for the first time about the matter today, Friday.
A spokeswoman said it is processing more than 50 complaints relating to the incident in Camlough, each of which is being assessed in line with DOJ guidance.
Complaints about police misconduct can only be received from people who are "well-informed as to the facts of an incident", or someone acting on their behalf, she added.
Anyone making a complaint based on what they have seen on TV or social media is not considered personally involved, she added.