Human rights concerns as PSNI trains foreign officers

Amnesty International has voiced concerns about the PSNI`s provision of public order training to foreign police forces.

The charity has detailed a past training connection with the Ethiopian Police Service, which has in the past been accused of human rights abuses. Amnesty is now calling on the Northern Ireland Policing Board to review overseas training work by the PSNI.

The pressure group’s new report on military and security exports from the province says it obtained details of police training links through a freedom of information request.

“These included public order training for 30 officers from the Ethiopian Police Service in 2000 in a UK Government-backed programme,” stated Amnesty International in a release.

The charity’s report underlines widespread human rights abuses carried out by police and security forces in Ethiopia. It says hundreds of demonstrators were shot dead there in 2002.

“The PSNI also delivered public order training to the Jamaican Defence Force and the Guinean Constabulary in 2003 and to the Bolivian Police in March and October 2006,” it continues.

The group added: “Amnesty International is unclear what, if any, human rights assessment or criteria the PSNI currently applies before agreeing to undertake training of a foreign police force.”

Amnesty is calling on the Policing Board`s human rights adviser to investigate the issues it has raised.

“Our advice and expertise is sought constantly by other police services who are seeking to ensure that their policing is delivered within a human rights framework,” said a spokesperson for the PSNI.

“All training provided by PSNI officers abroad is reported to the Policing Board.”

The Interim Head of the International Policing Unit at the NPIA’s Leadership Academy told Police Professional that before any UK law enforcement agency engages in overseas training, criteria is met prior to engagement through consultation with the Home Office, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Department for International Development (DFID).

“There are core areas and main strategies, which form the principles for engagement,” said Kurt Eyre.

“A training needs assessment is carried out in conjunction with the British High Commission and it is at that point that discussions are had about the UK’s willingness to engage in training overseas.

“The PSNI would not have committed to overseas training without following this process,” said Mr Eyre.

He added that sharing best practice and supporting the development of policing for the benefit of overseas police services and our own are at the forefront of any overseas training engagement.

Although the UK does not have an international coordination strategy, meaning any law enforcement agency could be asked to provide training services overseas, a recent Home Office review by Sir Ronnie Flanagan has looked at how UK law enforcement agencies can better improve international assistance and coordination.

A requirement to have a national and international coordination strategy agreed to is currently being developed by the Home Office and ACPO.