Police Ombudsman must avoid making same mistakes as police on assuming all allegations are true - UUP boss Burrows
The Police Ombudsman must avoid falling into the same trap that police forces have in the past by blurring the line between taking allegations seriously and assuming them to be true, Jon Burrows has said.
The Ulster Unionist Party leader, himself a former senior police officer, was responding to comments by Jacqui Durkin in relation to how her office should handle allegations of sex crimes against Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) officers.
The head of the police watchdog also suggested that supporting and believing complainants in such cases were essentially the same thing – but insisted that her organisation is both neutral and independent.
Mr Burrows says the Police Ombudsman must urgently reaffirm her organisation’s commitment to independence and impartiality.
“Anyone who makes a complaint must know that it will be taken seriously, investigated thoroughly, and that they will be treated with respect and empathy throughout. That is fundamental to public confidence.
“However, empathy must never be confused with prejudgment. An investigator must remain open-minded, follow the evidence and reach conclusions fairly.
“Lasting confidence is secured not by compromising impartiality, but by delivering justice, demonstrating fairness and producing credible results.
“The Ombudsman’s office must avoid falling into a trap that police services themselves have encountered in the past: allowing well-intentioned efforts to support complainants to blur the essential distinction between treating an allegation seriously and assuming it to be true.”
The Police Ombudsman’s office has been contacted for a response to the comments by the UUP leader, however there had been no response at the time of going to print.
Jacqui Durkin was by appointed to the role in June by First Minister Michelle O’Neill and deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly.
She is the fifth person to hold the role of Police Ombudsman and succeeds Marie Anderson who retired from the role in December 2025 after a controversial tenure which saw her stand aside for a period.