The Police Ombudsman's Office has welcomed proposed additions to the PSNI’s Code of Ethics which reflect the issues faced by contemporary police oversight and modern policing.
In response to a consultation on a new draft Code from the Northern Ireland Policing Board (NIPB), the Police Ombudsman’s Director of Impact, Jennifer Lamont, said the changes were “proportionate, appropriate and reflective of both the challenges experienced in modern policing and the contemporary issues we find in our role as the complaints body”.
The Code of Ethics sets out standards of conduct and practice for police officers, and for the first time includes a specific Duty of Candour, detailing the expectations that officers ‘should build and maintain the confidence of the public they serve by being open and transparent and should communicate the reasons for the decisions and actions they take’.
This new duty, together with other proposed changes around communication and the use of social media whether in a professional or personal capacity, have been welcomed by the Police Ombudsman’s Office.
The draft code now states: “Police officers shall use social media responsibly and ensure that nothing is published that is discriminatory, abusive, oppressive, harassing, bullying, victimising, offensive or otherwise incompatible with their role as a professional police officer. Police officers should note that this provision also applies to their private messages and group chats.
It also emphasises that ‘Police officers shall not communicate with each other and with others by using misogynistic and other discriminatory behaviour and language including online or other private and public platforms.’
“We are increasingly receiving complaints in respect of this kind of issue,” said Ms Lamont. “A recent investigation into the sharing of offensive messages within a closed group led to the dismissal of one officer, for example, and in another case the use of derogatory language between police officers about a victim who had reported domestic abuse, resulted in four officers receiving advice about their behaviour. These instances serve to highlight the importance of these additions to the Code.”
Given the much higher volume of complaints and referrals from police about officers alleged to have abused their position for sexual purposes, the proposed inclusion of clear directions about relationships with victims has also been welcomed.
The draft code makes it clear that police officers should not take advantage of any victim’s vulnerabilities by establishing improper relationships, and makes specific reference to not establishing ‘a sexual or emotional relationship with any victim, witness, suspect, detained person or defendant if they first come in contact with that person during the course of their duty as a police officer.’
“Abuse of position for sexual purposes is predatory police behaviour and one of the most serious forms of corruption, so the very clear direction now included in the draft Code of Ethics is important to support our work and the PSNI’s strategy to end violence against women and girls,” said Ms Lamont.
The draft Code also includes a new proposal in respect of privacy and confidentiality stating that ‘Police officers shall not view any material held by the PSNI unless they have a legitimate reason for doing so and it is in the course of their duties’. This reflects the findings from a Police Ombudsman investigation which identified that 74 officers had viewed body worn video footage without a legitimate reason.
“In terms of advice to officers on use of force, we also consider a greater emphasis on applying non-physical methods to de-escalate situations to be helpful.
“Similarly, we welcome a proposed expansion in the duties of supervisors, which recognises their role in not only supervising the actions and behaviours of their staff but also in modelling good behavior and challenging and managing inappropriate attitudes and behaviours of those for whom they are responsible,” concluded Ms Lamont.