North of Ireland Policing Board in limbo after key adviser leaves her post.

THE Policing Board has admitted that it can no longer carry out its statutory obligations after a key adviser’s contract was not renewed. 

Left: Alyson Kilpatrick pictured with PSNI/RUC Chief Constable George Hamilton.

It is understood the former human rights adviser Alyson Kilpatrick (pictured above) left her post last month. The Policing Board has a responsibility to monitor the performance of the RUC/PSNI in complying with the Human Rights Act. Human rights oversight is regarded as one of the most important functions of the board. Appointed in 2012, Ms Kilpatrick regularly provided expert legal opinion to the board and helped produce an annual human rights report. Regarded as an expert in her feild, she was appointed as a part-time special adviser to the Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation last year.

RUC/PSNI, UVF, UDR, UFF, UDA, British Army, MI5, MI6, NCA and the Special Task Force. 

In February this year senior board figures, including chair Anne Connolly, were delegated authority to take decisions across a range of areas. These include ensuring the RUC/PSNI can continue to draw down funding, to approve high value compensation requests and approve RUC/PSNI secondments. However, the adviser’s contract has been allowed to lapse. While independent members continue to meet in privite, a spokeswoman for the board last night said it has no authority to appointment a new adviser. “In the absence of a fully constituted Policing Board, it was not possible to extend the appointment period of the Human Rights Advisor as there was no authority to do so,” she said.

“A new appointment process to fill this role will be initiated when the Board is fully constituted.” Political representatives were not appointed to take their places on the board after the March assembly elections due to the ongoing political crisis. Former board member and SDLP representive Dolores Kelly voice anger at the development last night. “It’s a complete lack of understanding of their role at best,” she said. “At the end of the day these people are still getting paid.” Ms Kelly also voiced concern with regards to oversight of the National Crime Agency and a special task force involving that group, the police and customs officers recently set up to tackle paramilitary activity. The SDLP MLA said the matter needs to resolved quickly. “I call on the board and other independent members to immediately address this serious situation.” “Who made this decision? They need to come clean.” A spokesman for the RUC/PSNI said: “This is a matter for the Northern Ireland Policing Board.”

Irish News Editorial: Another casualty of Stormont impasse IN today’s edition we report that the Policing Board has become nothing more than a ‘talking shop’ because of the inability to appoint a human rights advisor due to the absence of a functioning assembly. Other side-effects of the failure to reestablish a government at Stormont have been the lack of ministers to oversee financial arrangements at the various departments, with under pressure health and education often quoted. Yesterday Secretary of State James Brokenshire again stated that he would have to put a budget to finance North of Ireland departments before Westminster. As he pointed out himself, this is not what the electorate voted for. It is critical that locally elected representatives do all they can to bring about a resolution to the problems which are holding back the reestablishment of an executive. The sooner the better. 

With many thanks to: Connla Young The Irish News for the original story. 

Concern at Policing Board rights role vacancy.

A HUMAN rights expert has voiced concern after the Policing Board said it was unable to renew the contract of a key advisor and admitted it can no longer fulfil its statutory obligations. 

Left: Alyson Kilpatrick pictured with PSNI/RUC Chief Constable George Hamilton.

Former human rights adviser Alyson Kilpatrick, pictured above, left her post last month. Appointed in 2012, Ms Kilpatrick regularly provided expert legal opinion to the board and helped produce an annual human rights report. The policing board has a responsibility to monitor the performance of the RUC/PSNI in complying with the Human Rights Act. Human rights oversight is viewed as one of the most important functions on the board. A spokeswoman for the board has claimed it did not have the authority to renew Ms Kilpatrick’s contract.

Colin Harvey, Professor of Human Rights Law at Queens University, said it was a “very worrying development”. “Human rights guarantees remain central to the ongoing process of policing reform. The policing board has a vital role in monitoring the performance of the RUC/PSNI and in holding the chief constable to account.” The academic said a solution needs to be found. “This situation needs to be addressed as a matter of urgency to ensure that the board can continue to discharge its statutory responsibilities,” he said. “This is no time to be undermining the centrality of human rights to the work of the policing service here.”

In February this year senior board figures including chairwoman Anne Connolly were given delegated authority to take decisions across a range of areas following the collapse of the Stormont institutions. Political representatives were not appointed to take their places on the board after the March assembly elections due to the political deadlock, although independent members have continued to meet in privite. Former SDLP policing board member Dolores Kelly said if officials were concerned about being unable to renew Ms Kilpatrick’s contract, they should have written to party leaders and raised it through the media. “Did they ask the Department for Justice for any dispensation? If they did not have delegated authority, did they seek it?”she said.

Former Sinn Féin policing board member Gerry Kelly.

Former Sinn Féin policing board member Gerry Kelly (pictued above) said ” a human rights-based approach to policing is at the core of the Patten recommendations and the setting up of the PSNI”. “The human rights adviser’s contract should have been exstended at this time as it is a crucial component to the effective working of the board,” he said. “The decision not to renew the contract should be reversed.” A spokeswoman for the policing board said: “As previously stated, in the absence of a fully constituted Policing Board, it was not possible to extend the appointment period of the human rights advisor as there was no authority to do so. “As previously advised, in February 2017 the then board approved a limited programme of work (as a temporary measure) that could be progressed by the independent members in the absence of a fully constituted board. “The appointment process to fill the human rights advisor role cannot be initiated until the board is again fully constituted.” “A spokesman for the RUC/PSNI said: “This is a matter for the North of Ireland Policing Board.”

With many thanks to: Connla Young The Irish News for the original story. 

 

Follow these links for more information: https://www.nipolicingboard.org.uk/human-rights

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