The Northern Ireland Policing Board has published its Human Rights Annual Report 2019/20. The Report provides an account of the performance of the PSNI in its compliance with the Human Rights Act 1998 (up to the end of March) and an overview of the monitoring work carried out during the year by the Board. It highlights good policing practice and areas in which practice could be improved with specific recommendations.
“The Report contains 14 recommendations for PSNI which cover issues around human rights training and policy, Body Worn Video, Treatment of Suspects, the Street Triage Pilots and Legacy investigations.
It brings transparency to issues that infringe rights, assists public understanding of the implementation of human rights standards in police service delivery and explains how the Board conducts its monitoring work. The implementation of the recommendations wil help maintain public confidence in the PSNI which is paramount in securing its legitimacy. This fundamental principle lies at the heart of the work which the Policing Board, assisted by the Board’s Human Rights Advisor John Wadham, carries out on behalf of everyone in our community.
PSNI has now implemented over 200 recommendations made in the 12 previous Annual Reports relating to issues such as domestic abuse, hate crime, covert policing, children and young people, public order, complaints and discipline, use of force, stop and search and many more. The sheer extent of the scope of work undertaken by the Policing Board and the Human Rights Advisor highlights the importance of keeping Human Rights under review as there are always new and emerging issues.
A rights based approach to policing protects the public and officers responsible for delivering the service. Having a positive human rights culture in our policing service and a willingness to be held to account to the community through the Policing Board is welcome. PSNI’s acceptance and implementation of recommendations made is indicative of the commitment to a human rights based approach.”
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Notes to editors
- Under Section 3(3)(b)(ii) of the Police (NI) Act 2000,the Northern Ireland Policing Board has a statutory duty to monitor the performance of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) in complying with the Human Rights Act 1998.
- The Report can be found on the Board’s website: /publications-search