Independent Commission on Policing for Northern Ireland
Encyclopedia
The Independent Commission on Policing for Northern Ireland was established in 1998 as part of the Belfast Agreement
, intended as a major step in the Northern Ireland peace process
. Chaired by Conservative
politician Chris Patten
, it was better known as the Patten Commission. The other members of the Commission were Maurice Hayes, Peter Smith, Kathleen O'Toole
, Gerald W. Lynch
, Sir John Smith, Lucy Woods and Professor Clifford Shearing. The Secretary to the Commission was Bob Peirce
, who drafted the report.
The aim of the proposals was to create a police service that would be effective, operate in partnership with the community, cooperate with the Garda Síochána
and other police forces, and be accountable both to the law and the community which it was to serve.
. Sinn Féin
, which represents a quarter of Northern Ireland
's voters, refused to endorse the new force until the Patten recommendations had been implemented in full, however voted to support the force in 2007 and now take their seats on the Northern Ireland Policing Board
. The recommendation to change the RUC name to Northern Ireland Police Service was changed to Police Service of Northern Ireland
instead. A Gaelic Athletic Association
convention repealed Rule 21 (a ban on members of the British army
and the Royal Ulster Constabulary
from playing Gaelic games), although almost all of the votes to do so came from the Republic
(there were exceptions Kerry, Cavan and Monaghan voted against repealing the rule) . Of the six associations in Northern Ireland, only County Down
voted to repeal it.
Belfast Agreement
The Good Friday Agreement or Belfast Agreement , sometimes called the Stormont Agreement, was a major political development in the Northern Ireland peace process...
, intended as a major step in the Northern Ireland peace process
Northern Ireland peace process
The peace process, when discussing the history of Northern Ireland, is often considered to cover the events leading up to the 1994 Provisional Irish Republican Army ceasefire, the end of most of the violence of the Troubles, the Belfast Agreement, and subsequent political developments.-Towards a...
. Chaired by Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
politician Chris Patten
Chris Patten
Christopher Francis Patten, Baron Patten of Barnes, CH, PC , is the last Governor of British Hong Kong, a former British Conservative politician, and the current chairman of the BBC Trust....
, it was better known as the Patten Commission. The other members of the Commission were Maurice Hayes, Peter Smith, Kathleen O'Toole
Kathleen O'Toole
Kathleen M. O'Toole is the Chief Inspector of the Garda Inspectorate, set up to ensure that the resources available to the Garda Síochána are used so as to achieve and maintain the highest levels of efficiency and effectiveness in its operation and administration, as measured by reference to the...
, Gerald W. Lynch
Gerald W. Lynch
Gerald W. Lynch was the third President of John Jay College of Criminal Justice, the only institution of higher education in the United States dedicated exclusively to the study of criminal justice, law enforcement, police science, and public service...
, Sir John Smith, Lucy Woods and Professor Clifford Shearing. The Secretary to the Commission was Bob Peirce
Bob Peirce
Robert Nigel Peirce is a British businessman in Los Angeles. Until July 2009 he was a British diplomat, serving as British Consul-General in Los Angeles. He was a key negotiator with China on Hong Kong from the early 1980s through the handover in June 1997...
, who drafted the report.
Terms of Reference
Under the terms of reference defined in the Belfast Agreement, the Commission was to inquire into policing in Northern Ireland, consult widely, and make proposals for future policing structures and arrangements, including the police force composition, recruitment, training, culture, ethos and symbols.The aim of the proposals was to create a police service that would be effective, operate in partnership with the community, cooperate with the Garda Síochána
Garda Síochána
, more commonly referred to as the Gardaí , is the police force of Ireland. The service is headed by the Commissioner who is appointed by the Irish Government. Its headquarters are located in the Phoenix Park in Dublin.- Terminology :...
and other police forces, and be accountable both to the law and the community which it was to serve.
The report
On September 9 1999 the Commission produced its report, entitled A New Beginning: Policing in Northern Ireland popularly known as the Patten Report, which contained 175 symbolic and practical recommendations. Key recommendations included:- renaming the Royal Ulster ConstabularyRoyal Ulster ConstabularyThe Royal Ulster Constabulary was the name of the police force in Northern Ireland from 1922 to 2000. Following the awarding of the George Cross in 2000, it was subsequently known as the Royal Ulster Constabulary GC. It was founded on 1 June 1922 out of the Royal Irish Constabulary...
the Northern Ireland Police Service; - a new Policing BoardNorthern Ireland Policing BoardThe Northern Ireland Policing Board is the police authority for Northern Ireland, charged with supervising the activities of the Police Service of Northern Ireland...
and District Policing Partnership Boards to ensure accountability; - creation of a Police OmbudsmanPolice OmbudsmanThe Office of the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland is a non-departmental public body intended to provide an independent, impartial police complaints system for the people and police under the Police Acts of 1998 and 2000.-Personnel:...
and a Complaints Tribunal; - removal of most visible symbols of BritishnessBritishnessBritishness is the state or quality of being British, or of embodying British characteristics, and is used to refer to that which binds and distinguishes the British people and forms the basis of their unity and identity, or else to explain expressions of British culture—such as habits, behaviours...
from the police service; - a 50-50 recruitment policy for CatholicCatholicThe word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
s and Protestants; - a new code of ethics and oath of office, including a strong emphasis on human rightsHuman rightsHuman rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
; - an emphasis on community policing and normalisation;
- proposals for training, community liaison, cooperation with other police services, and recruitment from outside Northern Ireland; and
- repeal by the Gaelic Athletic AssociationGaelic Athletic AssociationThe Gaelic Athletic Association is an amateur Irish and international cultural and sporting organisation focused primarily on promoting Gaelic games, which include the traditional Irish sports of hurling, camogie, Gaelic football, handball and rounders...
of its rule 21, which prohibited members of the police or ArmyBritish ArmyThe British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
in Northern Ireland from being members of the Association.
Effect
The report led to the publication of the Police (Northern Ireland) Bill in May 2000, and its subsequent implementationPolice (Northern Ireland) Act 2000
The Police Act 2000 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The act renamed the Royal Ulster Constabulary to the Police Service of Northern Ireland, created the Northern Ireland Policing Board and District Police Partnerships.-External links:*, as originally enacted, from the Office of...
. Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
, which represents a quarter of Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
's voters, refused to endorse the new force until the Patten recommendations had been implemented in full, however voted to support the force in 2007 and now take their seats on the Northern Ireland Policing Board
Northern Ireland Policing Board
The Northern Ireland Policing Board is the police authority for Northern Ireland, charged with supervising the activities of the Police Service of Northern Ireland...
. The recommendation to change the RUC name to Northern Ireland Police Service was changed to Police Service of Northern Ireland
Police Service of Northern Ireland
The Police Service of Northern Ireland is the police force that serves Northern Ireland. It is the successor to the Royal Ulster Constabulary which, in turn, was the successor to the Royal Irish Constabulary in Northern Ireland....
instead. A Gaelic Athletic Association
Gaelic Athletic Association
The Gaelic Athletic Association is an amateur Irish and international cultural and sporting organisation focused primarily on promoting Gaelic games, which include the traditional Irish sports of hurling, camogie, Gaelic football, handball and rounders...
convention repealed Rule 21 (a ban on members of the British army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
and the Royal Ulster Constabulary
Royal Ulster Constabulary
The Royal Ulster Constabulary was the name of the police force in Northern Ireland from 1922 to 2000. Following the awarding of the George Cross in 2000, it was subsequently known as the Royal Ulster Constabulary GC. It was founded on 1 June 1922 out of the Royal Irish Constabulary...
from playing Gaelic games), although almost all of the votes to do so came from the Republic
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
(there were exceptions Kerry, Cavan and Monaghan voted against repealing the rule) . Of the six associations in Northern Ireland, only County Down
County Down
-Cities:*Belfast *Newry -Large towns:*Dundonald*Newtownards*Bangor-Medium towns:...
voted to repeal it.