New Police Ombudsman makes abuse of position a priority
Northern Ireland’s new Police Ombudsman has identified abuse of position for sexual purposes (APSP) by police officers as one of her priorities.
Speaking to The Irish News in her first print interview since taking up the role in June, Jacqui Durkin said she had identified APSP investigations as an area requiring particular attention.
More than 60 APSP cases have been reported to the Police Ombudsman since 2018, with all alleged victims classified as vulnerable. The issue accounted for nine of the 30 Category A cases investigated by the watchdog in 2024.
Ms Durkin, the former Chief Inspector of Criminal Justice in Northern Ireland, said her focus would include examining the workload and operation of the office, its engagement with victims and how investigations could be improved.
She also highlighted the importance of dealing professionally with serious and complex allegations, both to maintain public confidence and to ensure fairness to officers facing allegations. “There’s some things that I’ve already identified and want to discuss with the senior team,” she said.
Ms Durkin also said she remained mindful of the Ombudsman’s responsibilities around legacy and historic cases, including providing closure reports for families and releasing public statements where appropriate.
Her comments come as the Ombudsman continues to investigate multiple incidents involving a former PSNI officer suspected of sexual offences, including rape and misconduct in public office.