DUP: MLAs on the Policing Board reserve the right to speak out when it is in the public interest
The DUP says that MLAs on the Policing Board should not be “unduly constrained” about speaking out on policing matters.
It comes after a review of how the Policing Board operates effectively called for a clampdown on them talking to the media.
Among the things the reviewers concluded was that “at times elected representatives engaged with the media in a manner, inadvertently or otherwise, not fully in keeping with the spirit of board corpocracy and the Code of Conduct of board members”.
It went on to add: “The practice of political members speaking to the media on policing matters as members of the NI Policing Board – but outside the authority or knowledge of the Chairperson to do so – has to some extent, become normalised…
"[We recommend] no member or employee of the board will insert their presence in a real time police critical incident or ‘red flag’ operation, ongoing investigations, or extant judicial proceedings.
"That apart from the chairperson, members of the board refrain from making public statements on such matters, cognisant that this doesn’t inhibit political parties commenting out with the board."
Trevor Clarke, one of the DUP MLAs who sits on the board, said in response: “This independent review flowed from revelations that not only were two junior officers unlawfully disciplined to allay any threat of Sinn Fein abandoning support for policing after events the Ormeau Road incident, but senior officials from the Policing Board were involved in discussing those decisions.
"Such a situation should never arise again and the PSNI must ensure safeguards are in place to ensure senior officers do not foul to political interference in the future.
"Whilst we note the findings of this report, and the need for members of all parties, and none, to recommit to respecting the operational independence of the PSNI going forward, elected representatives on the board must not be unduly constrained from being able to raise awareness of local policing issues that are of concern to their constituents.
"The DUP reserves the right to speak out where it is prudent and in the public interest to do so."