Byrne taking PSNI stay-at-home ‘seriously’

Mrs. Long said she knew from her discussions that he took the matter seriously.

Last week Derry police commander, Chief Superintendent Emma Bond, said she had launched an investigation after learning a number of officers had been detailed to stay at home rather than attend for duty for two weeks in April. She said the practice was unauthorised and ended as soon as it came to the attention of senior management.

Chief Supt. Bond said an examination of the circumstances of the ‘stay-at-home’ detail had been launched.

Following the revelations the matter was raised at the Stormont Justice Committee.

SDLP West Tyrone MLA Daniel McCrossan, speaking in the context of the pressures faced by the PSNI during the COVID-19 lockdown, asked the Justice Minister if she could comment on “the recent news reports that allege that PSNI officers in Strabane and Derry were absent from their posts and missed their shifts.”

“Can she outline whether a full and impartial investigation is under way on the matter?” he asked.

Mrs. Long replied: “I can confirm that a full investigation is under way. On that basis, I cannot comment further because it would be wrong for me to prejudge the outcome of that investigation, which has been commissioned by the Chief Constable.”

Mr McCrossan continued: “I know that she will appreciate the seriousness of the allegations, which are now on public record and will concern many people. Can she assure the House that the investigation will be impartial and thorough, and will give clear conclusions on those matters and whether, in the absence of PSNI officers in the community, no one was left wanting when it came to tackling the issues that they might have faced throughout that period of absence?”

Mrs Long said she had spoken to the Chief Constable and was confident the matter was being taken seriously but it was not for her to comment on PSNI operational matters.

“There are assurances that I can give. I can give the assurance that I know from my discussion with the Chief Constable that he takes the matter seriously. I therefore imagine that he as much as anyone else will want to see it properly investigated and dealt with thoroughly. The nature of the investigation, how it proceeds and its outcome are all really a matter for the Chief Constable and will, no doubt, be looked into further by the Policing Board, which is the appropriate scrutiny mechanism for such issues,” she said.

Last week, providing details of the investigation, Chief Supt. Bond said: “During this period police numbers on duty did not dip below pre-COVID levels but the consequence was that an enhanced level of policing was not achieved.

“An examination of the circumstances that led to the officers being detailed to stay at home has commenced to establish how this happened and establish if any officers have done anything wrong,”