STORY
The Northern Ireland Affairs Committee has published a report on policing and security in Northern Ireland, warning that political and civic support for policing has not been consistent across all communities. The report says support for policing should not come at the expense of accountability or scrutiny, but remains central to recruitment, effective policing, peace and prosperity.
The Committee’s work covers PSNI funding, workforce pressures, the security situation and the relationship between policing and national security. It notes that national security matters remain reserved to the UK Government and Parliament, with formal arrangements for discussions between the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and the Northern Ireland Justice Minister.
The report comes in the 25th anniversary year of the PSNI and argues that this should be used to reinvigorate support for policing and recruitment. Its conclusions point to the continuing sensitivity of policing in Northern Ireland, where security, community confidence and political leadership remain closely connected.