'Stop & Search' Powers Welcomed

There has been a welcome for new powers for the PSNI to stop and search for munitions and wireless apparatus.

The DUP MP for East Londonderry, Gregory Campbell has welcomed the announcement by the Government that police are to be given new powers.

The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Owen Paterson said yesterday that, following the Counter Terrorism Legislation Review, the Home Secretary decided to replace section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000 with a more tightly circumscribed power.

"Consistent with those changes, I have decided to make a similar amendment to a power of stop and search in Northern Ireland.

"I intend to amend the power to stop and search a person without reasonable suspicion contained in paragraph 4 of Schedule 3 to the Justice and Security (Northern Ireland) Act 2007.

"In future, prior authorisation by a senior police officer, confirmed by the Secretary of State, will be required before the power to search a person without reasonable suspicion to ascertain whether he has munitions unlawfully with him or wireless apparatus with him can be exercised by a police officer.

"I will also create a new power for police officers to search for such items with reasonable suspicion.

"In due course I will exercise the power in section 34 of the 2007 Act to make a Code of Practice governing the exercise of these powers," he explained.

Changes to the legislation will be brought forward in the Protection of Freedoms Bill, which will be introduced into Parliament shortly.

Commenting, the Gregory Campbell said: "The Home Secretary has already said that the police in Northern Ireland have used their stop and search powers in a responsible and proportionate manner.

"I welcome this commitment by the Government that they want to see these powers being tightened up, not watered down.

"Our community faces a significant challenge in defeating the dissident Republican criminals who this week showed what type of people they are by hiding a bomb in a child's toy.

"The police need these powers as a necessary weapon in their arsenal against the terrorists who would seek to drag us backwards in to bloodshed and violence," he said.

Northern Ireland Policing Board member Jonathan Bell MLA said:

"This new power is necessary and reasonable to the circumstances we face. The first duty of government is to protect its people. We must not shirk from our responsibilities. There is an identified minority of criminals that are determined to kill and maim in a futile attempt to interrupt and frustrate the democratic peaceful will of our society.

"The new power to stop and search with reasonable suspicion for unlawful munitions and wireless apparatus will be of use in helping defeat the criminal dissident gangs," he said.

The Chair of the Policing Board's Human Rights and Professional Standards Committee Basil McCrea MLA said: "The Board has been conducting a review on the use of stop and search powers and the statement by the Secretary of State provides further context on the use of particular powers and authorisations required for policing in Northern Ireland.

"The Committee will now consider the implications and outworkings on the changes being brought forward as part of the current thematic review," he said on Wednesday.

"As a Committee we recognise and support the need for police to be able to use powers to meet the challenges of dealing with crime, criminality and those who remain intent on disrupting the peace.

"But we also have to ensure that the rights checks and balances are in place so that the community can have confidence that powers are being used proportionately and in line with the stringent guidelines that govern their use," the Ulster Unionists politician cautioned.

"One of the key issues identified during our consultation on this issue is the potential damage that stop and search can have on community confidence; and the need for the police to explain to the public why particular powers are being used."

(BMcC/GK)