Published Date: 05.04.2018

Staff from the Police Ombudsman’s office were in Police College, Garnerville last week to deliver training to the PSNI’s student officers.

The training, delivered by Louise O’Melvena of the Office’s Core Investigations team, forms part of a 23-week induction programme undertaken by new student officers to the police service.

The Police Ombudsman session was delivered as a classroom-based presentation to 33 student officers, due to attest as Probationary Constables at a ceremony this month.

The content included an overview of the Ombudsman’s work in delivering an independent and impartial police complaints system and examined its overriding objective of helping to improve policing.

Issues such as the Ombudsman’s statutory duties, investigations and criminal and disciplinary proceedings were also discussed with student officers.

The module is one of the components of the first stage of student officers’ foundation training before they are placed in their districts where they continue their development in an operational environment. Informing and developing their knowledge and understanding of the Ombudsman’s role at this stage is vital, said Louise O’Melvena.

“These student officers will be out in their districts in the next few weeks and it is important that they understand the remit of the Police Ombudsman’s office before that happens,” said Louise.

“We are likely to be part of their job as they progress through their career with the police service so we discuss what’s likely to happen if they do come into contact with us and what is required of them if that is the case.

“Most importantly it is a chance to explain our role in providing a wholly independent and impartial system for the handling of complaints about the conduct of police officers and how we deal with such complaints free from any outside influence.”