FLANAGAN BACKS POLICE LAWSUIT AGAINST OMBUDSMAN
Flanagan backs police lawsuit against Ombudsman
Police Association prepares to press ahead with legal challenge
POLICE chief Sir Ronnie Flanagan has backed a decision by his rank and file officers to legally challenge the damning Ombudsman's report of the police handling of the Omagh bomb investigation.
The Police Association has announced an intention to seek a judicial review over the report by Nuala O'Loan claiming it was inaccurate.
Speaking in Belfast as he attended the Irish Association's spring seminar, Mr Flanagan said it was a matter for the association whether they took action.
But he said: "The association represents officers at all ranks and they feel that the Ombudsman's office have not conducted their business fairly and they've decided that they want to try to establish that in court."
He said that that decision having been made it will be wrong for him to rehearse the argument in public.
However, he added: "I think now the police association have decided to have this issue examined in the courts, that is the best place for it. It has become far too political. I think that is improper and the media dealt with it in terms of sound bites and the public haven't had the full view of all that's gone on and all that hadn't gone on. So I think it is best left now to be aired in court."
Police Association Chairman, Jimmy Spratt said members felt there was no other avenue open to officers following the release of the scathing report last December.
He said: "It is a matter of deep regret to the Police Association that it should have to resort to legal proceedings. Unfortunately there seems to be no alternative."
The Policing Board has appointed an outside officer of deputy chief constable or assistant chief constable rank to monitor the Omagh investigation.
Police Association prepares to press ahead with legal challenge
POLICE chief Sir Ronnie Flanagan has backed a decision by his rank and file officers to legally challenge the damning Ombudsman's report of the police handling of the Omagh bomb investigation.
The Police Association has announced an intention to seek a judicial review over the report by Nuala O'Loan claiming it was inaccurate.
Speaking in Belfast as he attended the Irish Association's spring seminar, Mr Flanagan said it was a matter for the association whether they took action.
But he said: "The association represents officers at all ranks and they feel that the Ombudsman's office have not conducted their business fairly and they've decided that they want to try to establish that in court."
He said that that decision having been made it will be wrong for him to rehearse the argument in public.
However, he added: "I think now the police association have decided to have this issue examined in the courts, that is the best place for it. It has become far too political. I think that is improper and the media dealt with it in terms of sound bites and the public haven't had the full view of all that's gone on and all that hadn't gone on. So I think it is best left now to be aired in court."
Police Association Chairman, Jimmy Spratt said members felt there was no other avenue open to officers following the release of the scathing report last December.
He said: "It is a matter of deep regret to the Police Association that it should have to resort to legal proceedings. Unfortunately there seems to be no alternative."
The Policing Board has appointed an outside officer of deputy chief constable or assistant chief constable rank to monitor the Omagh investigation.
Further Information
Publisher: ULSTER HERALD
Ref: UH/0962
Published Date: 14-Feb-02
Related Images
There have been no images archived for this article.