ESTABLISHMENT OF THE OFFICE

The story of the Police Ombudsman's Office can be traced back to November 1995 when a senior civil servant, Dr Maurice Hayes, was appointed to review the police complaints system in Northern Ireland.

Dr Hayes was asked to produce a blueprint for a new system which could earn the confidence of the people of Northern Ireland, and of the police themselves.

After consulting widely with political parties, members of the public, the police and policing organisations, Dr Hayes produced his report in January 1997.

"The overwhelming message I got from nearly all sides and from all political parties was the need for the investigation to be independent and to be seen to be independent," stated Dr Hayes in the report.

He recommended that an independent Police Ombudsman should be appointed to deal with all complaints against the police.

The Ombudsman should, he said, be supported by a team of professional investigators "which might include investigators from Customs and Excise or DHSS, lawyers, people with police experience and others." This still applies today.

Dr Hayes continued: "He/she would investigate complaints against police even where the action complained of might amount to criminal behaviour, if proven, and would in such cases carry the criminal investigation through to a recommendation to the Director for Public Prosecutions."

His recommendations were largely accepted by the Government, which passed legislation to bring the new office into being.

The Police (Northern Ireland) Act 1998 set out the role and powers of the new Police Ombudsman, and after some months of preparation the Office opened and began operating on 6 November 2000.

Click here to go back to the introduction.