UUP justice spokesman Doug Beattie MC MLA Slams Justice Minister for Lack of Movement Following Independent Review

In January of this year, the independent review of the Northern Ireland Policing Board (NIPB) submitted its report to the Justice Minister, Naomi Long MLA. The review was both detailed and direct, highlighting clear shortfalls, including the strained "tripartite arrangements" between the NIPB, the Department of Justice (DoJ), and the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI). The report described this relationship as “a two-legged stool” and “a parent-child relationship,” descriptions that certainly don't inspire confidence.

The politicisation of the NIPB, whether real or perceived, has limited its ability to focus on strategic issues. Instead, members are frequently pulled into local policing matters as political parties try to score points off each other or undermine the police. This has increased the Board's workload, as they get caught up in the “policing weeds” instead of dealing with high-level, “wave top” issues. As the report states, this political culture within the Board prevents “collective responsibility, cohesion, common purpose, and corpocracy.” This is further compounded by the absurd system of appointing a chair from within the 19-member body, of which 10 are MLAs, leaving independent members feeling isolated and marginalised.

As the lead department, the DoJ should be considering a new Partnership Agreement Framework to replace the tripartite relationship, as recommended in the review, along with the 18 other observations and recommendations. After setting the terms of reference for the report in September 2024—which many felt weren't far-reaching enough—the Justice Minister stated upon receiving it, “I will now take time to consider the report and give time to the statutory bodies to also consider the recommendations relevant to them.” That was nearly seven months ago, and there appears to be no movement in addressing the issues that have plagued the NIPB and the department’s leadership.

In simple terms, the Minister is failing to address the issues affecting the police, whether it's funding, staffing levels, scrutiny, or a shared, long-term strategic vision outlining the relationship between the DoJ, the NIPB, and the PSNI. Without a steady hand at the tiller, it's difficult to see how the NIPB can bring about meaningful change in the near future.