22/08/2003

Policing Human Rights Committee meets for first time

The Northern Ireland Policing Board’s Human Rights Committee has met for the first time today at the Board’s headquarters in Belfast’s Clarendon Dock.

The seven-member committee, which is chaired by South Down MP Eddie McGrady, one of the Board’s 10 political members, was established in June of this year following the completion of a review by the Board of its committee structure, and will oversee Human Rights and professional standards in the Police Service.

Commenting on the meeting, Mr McGrady said: “This new Committee will ensure that all police officers comply with the Human Rights, professional and ethical standards of the PSNI, so that we all have a police service that is effective, efficient and impartial."

The key functions of the new Human Rights Committee are to secure, promote and support professional human rights and ethical standards within the Police Service and to monitor the compliance of the Police Service with professional human rights and ethical standards.

To help it discharge these functions, the committee will also develop a programme for monitoring the performance of the PSNI in complying with the Human Rights Act.

Compliance with the Code of Ethics, launched in February of this year by the Policing Board, will be a critical part of the monitoring framework.

(MB)

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