PONI refutes ‘witch hunt’ accusation

Accusations that the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland (PONI) is conducting a witch hunt against officers are “unfounded”, the ombudsman has said. Mark Lindsay, chair of the Police Federation for Northern Ireland (PFNI), told his organisation’s conference this week that the PONI is guilty of “inept investigations” that leave officers “hung out to dry”. Although Mr Lindsay accepted the need for independent oversight, he demanded an appeal process to help officers protect themselves from the PONI. The PONI has now refuted this criticism, claiming the majority of officers view its work positively. It also highlighted that any disciplinary recommendations it makes can already be appealed by the officer involved. A spokesperson said: “It is disappointing that the chairman of the Police Federation has chosen again to air views that are unfounded. “His comments are at odds with the feedback from police officers who have been investigated by the Office (and obtained through independent survey): 89 per cent said they were treated with respect and more than 75 per cent felt that the complaint had been handled in an independent manner.” Previous research has found almost 80 per cent of people are confident the PONI’s investigations are impartial. A similar number view the organisation as independent of the police. Mr Lindsay’s criticism of the PONI’s credibility focused on a recent inquiry launched after confidential documents were stolen from its office. The Police Service of Northern Ireland and MI5 warned that the breach could put lives at risk. Mr Lindsay also referenced a separate incident last November where a firearm and ammunition were found in the PONI’s headquarters. He said these revelations “demand that the Government must redefine the role of the Office to ensure that the men and women I represent are not the victims of a ‘witch hunt’, and are not hung out to dry without the benefit of an appeal process”. Police Ombudsman Dr Michael Maguire has invited Mr Lindsay to discuss his concerns in person. The PONI said: “If Mr Lindsay has serious concerns based on evidence, then the interests of his members and the police complaints system more generally would be best served by dialogue. “Dr Maguire is more than willing to speak with the federation regarding what Mr Lindsay has described as inept investigations and a witch hunt, both of which the Office would refute.”