DUP's Joanne Bunting questions oversight of Police Ombudsman - saying she has been 'unable to establish' who is responsible
The Police Ombudsman (PONI) should not be “free from scrutiny” or any other accountability mechanism, the DUP’s Joanne Bunting has said.
The East Belfast MLA has raised issues with how the police watchdog itself is held to account, after a series of controversies surrounding the organisation in recent years.
Earlier this year Marie Anderson’s office lost a court case brought by retired police officers over a statement in which she claimed “collusive behaviours” by the RUC during the Troubles. She then announced she would appeal the ruling – raising questions about the cost.
Mrs Bunting, the DUP’s justice spokesperson has told the News letter that despite PONI’s own report stating that it is accountable to the Assembly, she has been unable to establish in what way it is.
“There are no clear pathways for accountability or complaint. The Minister, when she appeared before the Committee, pointed to the role of the Criminal Justice Inspectorate. However, since 2011 there have only been two reports relating to the Office of the Police Ombudsman and the last of these was in 2013”.
She says that 14 years after that report there are still significant issues of public confidence – saying only a minority of complainants are satisfied with PONI’s service.
Mrs Bunting said PONI must demonstrate accountability to the public on what they are accountable for and how someone with a complaint can raise it. “Whilst PONI needs to be able to act independently of political or other influence, that should not mean it is free from scrutiny and effectively free from any real accountability mechanism.”