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28/03/2007
House of Lords vote for ‘50/50’ police force
The House of Lords has renewed the 50/50 recruitment rule for the PSNI by a majority of 44.
It puts into practice a recommendation made in 1999 by Lord Patten that the local police force should be split evenly between Catholics and Protestants.
The result of the vote was 141 to 97. Former UUP leader Lord Trimble, however, criticised the move saying reverse discrimination would be counter-productive.
Government Northern Ireland spokesman Lord Rooker disagreed saying: “Nobody who has been appointed to the PSNI in the last six years, has failed to be done on merit.
“All of them have gone through the merit, all of them have qualified to be United Kingdom police officers.”
He continued: “Every one who has been appointed a police officer has got through the merit bar… they have all been chosen on the 50/50 basis from the highest on the compartment of Catholics and non-Catholics.
“Nobody has been appointed from the Catholic community that it is not qualified to be a United Kingdom police officer and neither will they be.”
The Patten Report was developed to try and encourage a more balanced Police Service of Northern Ireland, and means 50% of all new recruits must be from the Catholic community.
(JM/KMcA)
It puts into practice a recommendation made in 1999 by Lord Patten that the local police force should be split evenly between Catholics and Protestants.
The result of the vote was 141 to 97. Former UUP leader Lord Trimble, however, criticised the move saying reverse discrimination would be counter-productive.
Government Northern Ireland spokesman Lord Rooker disagreed saying: “Nobody who has been appointed to the PSNI in the last six years, has failed to be done on merit.
“All of them have gone through the merit, all of them have qualified to be United Kingdom police officers.”
He continued: “Every one who has been appointed a police officer has got through the merit bar… they have all been chosen on the 50/50 basis from the highest on the compartment of Catholics and non-Catholics.
“Nobody has been appointed from the Catholic community that it is not qualified to be a United Kingdom police officer and neither will they be.”
The Patten Report was developed to try and encourage a more balanced Police Service of Northern Ireland, and means 50% of all new recruits must be from the Catholic community.
(JM/KMcA)
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23 June 2016
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Two police officers have been disciplined after they failed to let their colleagues and a police doctor know that a woman had sustained a head injury, a Police Ombudsman investigation has concluded. The woman died from bleeding to the brain on 24 February 2014, the day after she suffered the injury.
08 February 2007
Chief Constable 'appointed on merit'
During a meeting of the Northern Ireland Policing Board yesterday, members discussed the advertisement published by the SDLP in the Irish News on January 26 2007, regarding the appointment of the Chief Constable, Sir Hugh Orde, in 2002.
Chief Constable 'appointed on merit'
During a meeting of the Northern Ireland Policing Board yesterday, members discussed the advertisement published by the SDLP in the Irish News on January 26 2007, regarding the appointment of the Chief Constable, Sir Hugh Orde, in 2002.
03 November 2010
Patten Awarded Honorary Degree
One of the most popular British politicians to have been involved in Ireland has been given a university accolade. British peer, Chris Patten (pictured) received an honorary doctorate of laws at the Royal Hospital Kilmainham in Dublin this week.
Patten Awarded Honorary Degree
One of the most popular British politicians to have been involved in Ireland has been given a university accolade. British peer, Chris Patten (pictured) received an honorary doctorate of laws at the Royal Hospital Kilmainham in Dublin this week.
04 September 2007
NI Policing Board Seeks Custody Visitors
The Northern Ireland Policing Board has launched a campaign to recruit Custody Visitors to join the Board’s Custody Visiting Scheme. The volunteer scheme, which operates throughout Northern Ireland, is a means of monitoring how people who are held in police custody are treated.
NI Policing Board Seeks Custody Visitors
The Northern Ireland Policing Board has launched a campaign to recruit Custody Visitors to join the Board’s Custody Visiting Scheme. The volunteer scheme, which operates throughout Northern Ireland, is a means of monitoring how people who are held in police custody are treated.
24 July 2002
Police Ombudsman’s report laid before parliament
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Dr John Reid, has unveiled The Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland’s first annual report before Parliament on Monday July 23. The report covers the Police Ombudsman office’s discharge of its functions during the first 17 months since it was established in November 2000.
Police Ombudsman’s report laid before parliament
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Dr John Reid, has unveiled The Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland’s first annual report before Parliament on Monday July 23. The report covers the Police Ombudsman office’s discharge of its functions during the first 17 months since it was established in November 2000.
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