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PSNI CHIEF CONSTABLE Matt Baggott says that questioning the impartiality of his force “is both unfair and inappropriate”.
In a statement released this afternoon, Baggott refuted the accusation from Martin McGuinness that there is a ‘dark side’ of policing in the PSNI.
Speaking before the release of his party president Gerry Adams, the First Minister of Northern Ireland had said:
The arrest of Gerry Adams is evidence of that there is an element within the PSNI who are against the peace process and who hate Gerry Adams and Sinn Féin. They are – what the reformers within the PSNI have described to us as the Dark Side. They are small in number but very influential.
But Baggott has today come out against the accusation, arguing that there are several ways to investigate complaints of unfairness if anyone feels they exist.
“Under the Patten architecture, to which all political parties have signed up, there are numerous ways in which policing concerns can be addressed, notably through the independent Police Ombudsman, Policing Board or Human Rights Commissioner, ” he said.
“As such, questioning the motivation or impartiality of police officers tasked with investigating serious crime in this very public, generalised and vague manner, is both unfair and inappropriate.”
Upon his release from custody on Sunday, Adams made clear his support for the PSNI, saying that the aspects of his arrest he disagreed with were the use “pernicious coercive legislation” and the fact that they waited two months to talk to him after he made an offer of co-operation.
Baggott has responded today by saying that he feels the method of Adams’s detention was fair:
The arrest and questioning of Mr Adams was legitimate and lawful and an independent judge subsequently decided that there were grounds for further detention. Prosecutorial decisions will also be made independently by the PPS.
Baggott said that the PSNI is committed to pursuing its work “regardless of any undue pressures”, and that “it would have been wrong to treat Mr Adams any differently to other citizens”.
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I personally think that there is more of a dark force within many aspects of loyalism and unionism. Look at the behaviour of the loyalists upon Gerry’s release. They claim to be acting for the McConville family yet openly shouted sectarian abuse in front of the PSNI and the world’s media. If only loyalists had have stood up for Jean years ago by not kicking her out of a loyalist area for marrying a Catholic then maybe things would have been very different indeed.
And the Collusion between the Irish Conservative Government – FG/Lab & The British Conservative Government too !
Are you sure you’re not Jim Corr?
Flash,
How do you create and maintain a common border area without colluding on security matters?
Jean McConville was Protestant.
Ciarroch, I dont think you replied yesterday so I’ll ask again. Have SF accused the Irish and British governments of collusion?
I don’t believe they have but feel free to point out a link to the accusation if I’m wrong.
If they haven’t, do you have some grounds for the accusation and can you care to share them or do you just have lots of time on your hands for idle speculation?
And there isn’t a dark side to republicanism or nationalism, seriously you are completely deluded if you think that the same dark forces don’t exist on the republican side.
Caolan engaging in the normal sinn fein sh*t, of blame everyone else. now it’s loyalists fault the ira murdered Jean McConville
this is the training guide for johngahan/tom/lyons/oreilly/kkk/aging unionist etc.
my thanks to mr snowden…
At Gerry Adams,press conference after his release” I met with a superintendent after 36hrs of detention he didn’t even bat an eyelid to a request for further detention ” after 48 hrs I met with a chief superintendent who stated that he had nothing to do with the case, the same chief superintendent was in the court seeking another 48hrs detention, no dark side there, Mr Baggot none at all. Knowing the identity of people who have committed murder but doing nothing about it, no dark side there either Mr Baggot, squeaky clean, Mr Baggot.
Blah blah blah, and what is the training guide for anybody that doesn’t agree with your outdated, insular, myopic views, a bullet in the back of the head perhaps, or if you’re feeling in a good mood just label us all as Unionists, West Brits etc.
Just like Gerry ‘I was never in the IRA’ Adams is squeaky clean, butter wouldn’t melt in his beardy mouth.
True Aging. He is innocent.
Very few people have been under as intense scrutiny over the years as
Gerry Adams . There has been three IRA men who lived and went about
their daily live styles In close proximity with Gerry Adams , these three were
over the years recruited by British agents as touts . He also has been singled
out to be scrutinised by the Boston Tapes . The continuity RUC/PSNI ignore the
Boston tapes with information re IRA , loyalists and state murderers and solely
concentrated on Gerry Adams .
My Views ,
I read and viewed too , the British Minister , Theresa Villiers, admit to knowing, three days in advance , that rather then the PSNI having a mutually arranged meeting with Gerry Adams , that they had decided to arrest him instead , when he arrived to The Antrim Police Station . She and her Government colluded with the PSNI to allow this to happen . She did not inform either Peter Robinson or his Joint Minister , Martin McGuinness to this effect, a clear breach of trust on her part!
She then admitted to the fact that she had informed our Foreign Minister & Tanaiste , Eamonn Gilmore , a fellow TD of Adams , in The Dáil , after his arrest.
Mr. Gilmore failed to protest in any manner, publicly or privately, that a fellow Member of Dáil Éireann was being held , by The PSNI , having been arrested , held for 96 hours and interrogated for 68 hours . He made no protest, during this whole period !
In my view , as a result of this , this can be interpreted as utter collusion by Mr. Gilmore and the Irish Government , with The British Government and their Minister.
Both Governments have admitted too, since Mr. Adams was released that Cameron and Kenny had discussed the consequences of the Cabal undermining the Peace Process and The GFA .
Matt Baggots position is now untenable as well Theresa Villiers too.
As for Shatter , Gilmore , Kenny – do I even to comment on their selling out of the ordinary Irish people , with crooked Bankers not going to jail etc etc etc etc.
Ciarroch thanks for replying. So just for the record it’s your own view and not that of the SF party
The definition of collusion is that it’s secretive. There’s nothing secretive about anything you’ve posted. The meetings or calls are on record. Villiers informed the Irish government of what happened. That’s not collusion
My Views – Thank you for your two observations and your two points.
Firstly , I’m just one individual , with an interest in Politics and Irish History and I have always spoken for myself , only.
Your definition of collusion in this instance is a very strange one . I ask –
Why did Villiers ? having been briefed by Baggott , discuss the decision , with Cameron , but not Robinson & McGuinness ? Strange isn’t it ?
Why did she not object to the arrest decision , by Baggott, which clearly contradicted the ethics of the meeting arrangements ?
Why didn’t Tanaiste & Foreign Minister Gilmore not defend the consequence of the arrest of his fellow TD ?
Why did he not speak to the Press and brief us on his various discussions with Villiers ?
Why did Taoiseach Kenny not tell the Nation about his discussions with The British Prime Minister ? Where he didn’t ask for the release of his TD either ?
Why is it that only when the BBC grilled Villiers in the matter, did she finally admit to all the subterfuge , but not a gug from our Government , until eventually Gilmore came out with his totally anaemic “statement ” yesterday ?
The whole tracking of time and events now leads one to add two and two and get four !
It’s not rocket science to understand that utter collusion between both Governments was at play – bigtime !
I like Matt Baggott. But he’s in denial here. Suppose he has to say publicly what he’s said. I imagine privately, he knows better.
Bi like Gerry truth be told.
The title of this article makes him sound like a Sith Lord from Star Wars.
Well today is “revenge of the sixth” after Sundays may the 4th be with you
I have a bad feeling about this …
We need someone to bring balance to the force.
Much fear I sense in the North. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.
Right,
Aside from the substantive issue, has anybody noticed that there are 3 ways to make a complaint against the PSNI. We don’t even have one in the Republic, or at least one the public can believe in.
Matt Baggot is correct to defend his organisation, but overly optimistic if he thinks that SF allegations are entirely baseless. We all have to do the best with what we have.
I sincerely hope the PSNI have a quiet summer.
So the PSNI is better and worse than the gardai but either way it’s a conspiracy against Sinn fein
The apolitical policing model is better in the North, but their policing is subject and is more open to review, David.
@Paul Roche:
Of course Batt Maggot would say that wouldn’t he?!
It’s still a fact, John.
The RUC always was a nasty bigoted organization, and it still is.
Come on ofc there is a dark side element in PSNI.
I miss intelligent journalism.
Amazing how a party whose senior membership is comprised of many of the same people involved in the 1972 management of operations has absolutely no recollection of what happened and so must rely solely on Gerry’s denials.
Johngahan – Is your neddle stock in the gramophone ????
It is far from a minor problem for Sinn Fein’s credibility that those senior party members with their roots deep in the IRA can have collective amnesia on such a large scale.
Perhaps your conspiracy theories are correct and someone from the Dark Side has deleted their memories using cosmic rays or gamma waves.
this is the training guide for johngahan/tom/lyons/oreilly etc.
my thanks to mr snowden…
Snowden is a champion for truth, uncovering secrecy and looking through the whitewash; odd you should be inspired by him given the stonewall attitude of SF, the only group in possession of the facts of what happened in 1972.
Anyone who thinks that the same securocrats that ran the RUC aren’t still running the PSNI is mistaken. It was little more than a name change.
Remember Robert McCartney on the 23rd.
Remember what austerity has done to countless families on the 23rd. Think of Phil Hogan’s threat to turn water supply to a trickle for those who don’t pay water charges on the 23rd. Remember the lies we were told on the 23rd. Make your vote count on the 23rd.
No wonder there can’t be a truth commission set up. If either side don’t like what they hear they will just say the others lying.
The whole bloody lot are in a rush to the dark side.
*insert Star Wars pun here*
Pretty sure Sinn Fein have their own ‘Dark Side’
Ted you do know that around a thousand ex RUC detective/special branch were rehired over the last few years?……Well you do now !There is Dark forces at work here and the British government needs to sort it out.
They are the dark forces.
McGuinness should be ashamed of himself with his whataboutery and deflection. If he has any proof he should make a complaint. Not likely though since Adams was released. A thug in a suit…
Couldn’t agree more O Reilly he is the deputy first minister of Northern Ireland and here he is putting down the PSNI . A disgrace and a embarrassment .
If you were not so bigoted and narrow minded you would know that
Martin Mc Guinness’s comments were very temperate and considered
Compared to the rants of first Minister Robinson
Zzz zzz. Look over there aul shite…
O’Reilly are you completely bereft of the ability to have any type of constructive exchange of educated viewpoints?
I doubt he was going to admit they have a dark side. Actions speaks louder than words!
I doubt Gerry will ever admit he was in the IRA either but as you say Nicole, action speaks louder than words.
Great headline. Will we see Revenge of the Jerry or the Phantom McGuinness
No dark side in psni all old elements of ruc long retired . As for mc guiness he should name the dark side if he has the names. Gerry Adams arrest had also to be sanctioned by Matt baggot, going to arrest a party leader and not tell the boss . Matt baggot is nobody’s fool feel he has done a great job with the police
How do you make that out , the North of Ireland has been held to
Ransom by the police standing idly by and allowing the flag protesters
to take over the streets and roads of the six counties . They claimed it
wasn’t their responsibility. However a woman in a small Catholic area whose
home was attacked nightly got a court order that found the police completely
at fault and in neglect of duty .
Well you try been a Police Man in Northern Ireland 09Celts, constantly under attack from both sides, and constantly having to listen to s**t from politicians about favouring one side or another. They do a thankless job in extremely trying circumstances, are probably one of the most monitored Police Forces in the modern world, and are a lot more open than our backward Police Force. You can never please everyone, but on the whole I think they do a superb job, and while they are not perfect, please tell us your model for Policing.
How have so few if you not seen the star wars theme to this headline :p
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