McGrath says PSNI officers abusing their position for sexual purposes reinforces need for cultural change
Policing Board member Colin McGrath MLA (SDLP) has expressed his concerns about the “shocking number of police officers abusing their position for sexual purposes which reinforces the need for cultural change within the PSNI.”
He was speaking after the publication of the Police Ombudsman ‘Abuse of Position for Sexual Purposes (APSP) by PSNI Officers: Analysis and Emerging Findings’ report.
The report found that predatory behaviour from police officers makes up 30% of the Ombudsman’s most serious investigations.
South Down MLA Colin McGrath said: “The findings of this report are absolutely shocking and threaten confidence in policing in Northern Ireland.
“One case of this nature is too many, yet these allegations now account for nearly a third of the Ombudsman’s most serious investigations. That points to a cultural problem that must be confronted head-on.
“These cases are incredibly serious, they involve police officers using their role to take advantage of very vulnerable people, with the youngest recorded being just 14.
“The public must be able to rely on our police officers, this is people’s trust being exploited in the worst way.
“This issue stretches beyond our police service and points to the wider work we have to do across society to tackle violence against women and girls (VAWAG).
“It is no coincidence that all of the complaints were made about male officers while all the victims were women. We need to see the Executive committing funding to interventions on VAWAG, but we rightly demand better of our police officers.
“I welcome the Chief Constable’s acknowledgement of the seriousness of this issue and proactive steps already taken.
“The publication of the Langdale Review must mark a turning point and we also need to see the Justice Minister confirm when legislation will be in place for faster disciplinary action against PSNI officers.
“The police service must also demonstrate to the public that officers found engaging in this behaviour will face the consequences and that further action will be taken to address the underlying causes of this abuse.”
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