Jon Burrows on Drumcree stand-off: 'I know the political pressure police officers face to turn a blind eye to crime'
Jon Burrows has said he knows from personal experience the kind of pressure that police officers face to “turn a blind eye” to crimes.
The UUP leader, who spent 22 years as a policeman, was commenting on the Drumcree stand-off, during which SDLP and Sinn Fein politicians took part in a street protest against the legally-permitted march down the Garvaghy Road in Portadown.
It is alleged they acted unlawfully by blocking the parade from proceeding.
Mr Burrows was speaking in the Assembly today, as recriminations over the Drumcree march continued for a second day in the chamber.
Before entering politics, Mr Burrows had been the PSNI’s head of discipline, the area commander for Foyle, and the chief inspector (operations) for Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon (into which the current Portadown dispute falls).
He told MLAs today: “A big challenge is coming down the road for Sinn Fein, because its members broke the law.
"A member of the Policing Board [Deirdre Hargey] is looking at me: she could sit in the Policing Board's interview to appoint the next Chief Constable, yet she willingly and knowingly broke the law.
"She has disciplinary responsibility in holding to account senior police officers of assistant chief constable rank and above if they breach the code of ethics or the law, yet she willingly broke the law.
"In our highly political situation, you are challenging the legitimacy of this institution because you think that it was the right thing to do.
"I will be meeting the Chief Constable.
"Down the years, I have seen up close and personal the influence and the pressure that are applied to senior police officers and the Public Prosecution Service to turn a blind eye and to find 101 reasons not to prosecute people for breaking the law.”
He said that if any of his MLAs had pulled such a “stunt,” they would have been removed from the party.
"While I want a resolution and want us to dial down the drama around Drumcree – I want to get our police away from there and back to policing the streets – I will make sure that you are held to account for the crimes that, wilfully and knowingly, you committed,” Mr Burrows said.
Meanwhile, DUP MLA Keith Buchanan pledged that he will demand answers and not “waffle” from the chief constable at the next meeting of the Policing Board, scheduled for Thursday.
He told MLAs that “we see marshmallow policing – soft policing – in some communities”.
He said that he “used to dismiss the term ‘two-tier policing’” but now “it is evident that it has happened in the past”.
"Given the events of the past few days, it is very concerning that the PSNI seems unable to uphold the law of this country,” he said.
"On Thursday, the Policing Board will meet in public session.
"My colleagues will be at it, as, interestingly, will my other Policing Board colleague.
"It will be a very interesting session.
"From the Chief Constable, I expect to get information and positive feedback and not waffle.
"It is time for the PSNI to uphold the rule of law, because Northern Ireland is watching it very closely.
"This is the PSNI's last chance – it has to get it right.”