Improvements in police conduct vital

Thursday 2 September 2010

SDLP South Antrim MLA Thomas Burns has said the revelation that PSNI officers received the highest number of multiple complaints by the public compared to other police forces in the UK underlines that a lot more work remains to be done by the police here.

He said: "This survey highlights that a lot of work still has to be done by the PSNI particularly in the areas of incivility, impoliteness and intolerance. But we really need further research to find out what is going on here.

"The rise in the rate of complaints is a particular cause of concern, but we need to know whether it is due to an actual increase in unacceptable police behaviour or just show that people are engaging with the system more and are accepting that there is greater accountability within the PSNI.

"Any comparison with other forces must take account of the hard reality that the PSNI is operating under very different circumstances. Obviously the rise in complaints coincides with an upsurge in dissident violence and it would be useful to know whether or how complaints emanate from the campaign to counter them.

"However, no matter what the circumstances, it is essential that the PSNI are responsive in investigating these complaints and adopt a better approach toward the public in order to reduce the number of allegations against officers and encourage greater community confidence in the police."