PSNI should act without 'fear or favour' and support new national guidance on suspects' ethnicity
The PSNI has been encouraged to act “without fear or favour” when releasing information on the ethnicity of those suspected of serious crimes – while the Justice Minister has been told to “keep out” of the decision.
It comes after police in Northern Ireland said they are now considering a national policy from the UK’s top officers, which has recommended greater transparency over the information released by forces about those charged with serious crimes.
Justice Minister Naomi Long, who is understood to be on holiday, has not responded to questions on the matter from the News Letter.
However, when asked about the police response to vigilante videos targeting people from ethnic minorities this week, the Alliance minister said that such threatening and violent behaviour “will not be tolerated and those carrying out such threats will be pursued and brought before the courts”.
On previous occasions, the justice minister has declined to comment on certain policy areas which she views as operational matters for prosecutors or the courts.
The TUV has said the Alliance leader should “keep out” of the decision – given previous pronouncements that certain policy issues are operational matters for the police.
The party’s legacy and policing spokesperson Sammy Morrison said: “It is telling that the Justice Minister has repeatedly said that issues such as this are operational matters for the PSNI.
“That being the case, TUV will expect her to keep out of the decision and that the police in Northern Ireland will naturally follow the lead of their counterparts in other regions of the UK.
“Should that not happen there will need to be some serious explaining done.”
Mr Morrison also said he could see no reason why the PSNI should not implement the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) guidance in full.
“Maximum disclosure will only help build confidence within communities who currently believe that there is a reluctance within officialdom to face up to the criminality arising from immigrant communities which have come to Northern Ireland”.
North Antrim UUP MLA Jon Burrows welcomed the guidance, saying that “transparency builds trust and helps mitigate the impacts of disinformation”.
The former senior police officer said: “We live in an era of lightning fast digital communication and too often the agencies in the justice system are too slow and communicating clear factual information to the public especially times of tension.
“The reasons police have refused to issue this information in the past – contempt of court or prejudicing a case – are generally overplayed and not relevant.
“The police will still have operational independence to make their decision, but there is now clear guidelines to operate within and politicians can hold them to account on them.
“The other thing to make clear – is that the police should also release accurate descriptions in witness appeals. There has been national reporting of the police not mentioning someone’s race for fear of causing tension. This is wrong.
“The police should do their job, without fear or favour and accurate information is required to help solve crimes. Tension can be managed separately, but not at the expense of facts and the needs to solve crime.
“I trust the PSNI will support the new national guidance”.
The move was welcomed by the Home Secretary, coming after months of controversy over different approaches being taken by different forces in what they told the public.
Interim guidance from the NPCC says there is “a need for more consistency of how we report ethnicity and/or nationality information to support increasing trust and confidence in policing, whilst operating within the bounds of both legal and ethical considerations”.
The body said they want to see forces adopt an approach which “maximises what is disclosed” – arguing that “greater transparency can help to prevent misinformation, including on social media”. Asked by the News Letter whether they would adopt that approach here, the PSNI said they “will now take time to consider” it.