NI Ombudsman has received 40 complains of ‘police predatory behaviour’

By Rebecca Black, PA

Northern Ireland’s Police Ombudsman has received 40 reports alleging “police predatory behaviour”, Stormont has heard.

NI Justice Minister Naomi Long said the Ombudsman Marie Anderson’s office receive around eight such complaints a year, and has not indicated that the number is increasing, but that there is a “steady flow”.

Ms Long was speaking during Assembly Questions for her department.

Sinn Féin MLA Danny Baker put to her that a recent Criminal Justice Inspection report noted that as of July 2024, the Police Ombudsman’s Office had 19 active investigations of abuse of position for sexual purposes.

He asked whether the minister intended to introduce a “more comprehensive vetting process and a code of conduct”.

Ms Long pointed out that the employment of police officers and vetting is not a matter for her department.

She said: “However when you look to this report, abuse of position, concerns and complaints, there are recommendations on how justice organisations should address matters and the timeframes within which they should do so.

“The PSNI, Police Ombudsman Northern Ireland and Public Prosecution Service all have responsibilities in addressing the abuse of position that referenced.

“Given that those organisations are operationally independent from me as justice minister and my department, I can’t comment on progress of the recommendations, however I do agree that it is important that robust and effective processes are in place to ensure accountability and safe guarding.

“Given the vulnerability of some of the people in contact with police, it is important that we have absolute confidence that those individuals involved in that unethical behaviour do not draw other ethical officers into disrepute.”

Asked by Ulster Unionist MLA Alan Chambers for the number of cases of abuse of position for sexual purposes that have been investigated in the last 12 months, compared to the previous 12 months, Ms Long said she would not have access to that information directly.

“However since 2021, PONI has advised me that they have received around 40 complaints of what they described as police predatory behaviour, and say that they continue to receive an average of eight cases per year,” she said

“So they have not suggested that that has significantly increased but there has certainly been a steady flow.”