Police Beat, Feb 1997

Cover Image Description: Sub-headlines: Tax - Self Assessment, Full Time Reserve Pensions, R.U.C. Benefits Scheme-Critical Cash. Photo of man with balaclava holding bottle like petrol bomb with text PBRs protect property and lives. Headline: Report Time. Article Text: If has been a busy few weeks for those whose calling is to analyse the RUC and the task it faces and further evidence that this Force is the most examined and accountable police service in the UK if not the world. First, we had the HMI report on Plastic Baton Rounds which suggested that they were inappropriate for dealing with riots if property rather than life was at risk and that we should be following mainland guidelines on firearms regulating their use. This Federation would welcome a riot control device (nevermind weapon) which would calm and disperse a crowd without causing injury or regrettably, occasionally death. But there isn't one as yet and in the meantime PBRs have prevented loss of property and life on countless inseparable occasions. Water cannons, CS gas and batons have a proved ineffective in Northern Ireland. A petrol bomb is a potentially lethal and destructive weapon. Those that throw them, knowingly run the risk of being hit by a PBR. If valuable mainland buildings were regularly attacked by petrol bombers the guidelines would, perhaps, be quickly rewritten. Then we had the Hayes report on complaints procedure. Comfortingly, the Report could give no evidence that police investigations against the police were not professionally and thoroughly conducted. We can however, understand the need for further development of the complaints procedure into an statutory ombudsman system. What we have not been happy about is the determination of the present ICPC to pursue officers through tribunals when the evidence is so obviously inadequate. As a result of such myopic ruthlessness this Federation has been required to spend thousands of pounds in defence of innocent officers. In any new system of complaints it would be both equitable (and salutary for the ICPC) if defence legal costs could be recovered from them. It might help them to assess their case more objectively and wisely. Thirdly, we have had the North Commission's Report. While this largely impinges on operational matters we can suggest that the RUC should not be saddled with any direction with which it cannot physically comply. Furthermore such directions - even if they serve no purpose other than moral support - should be advisory and not a statutory obligation on the Force. Of the recent reports many contain useful recommendations but some, as ever, reflect an inaccurate no to say naive, appreciation of the difficulties of Policing in Northern Ireland.