The Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland has reaffirmed its commitment to equality, good relations and public accountability, aligning its work with the strategic objectives of the Equality Commission for Northern Ireland.
Over the past year, the Office has taken significant steps to enhance equality and inclusion in its policies, practices and culture. A series of internal policy reviews, covering areas such as domestic and sexual abuse, overtime, no smoking and vaping, role rotation and discipline, were carried out with staff consultation and benchmarking against best practice. These updates reflect a proactive approach to ensuring our workplace remains fair, safe and inclusive.
One of the most significant developments has been our renewed focus on ending violence against women and girls. In our response to the NI Executive’s draft Programme for Government, we highlighted our dual role in investigating harmful police behaviour and systemic failures in protecting victims. But we also recognised that change must begin within. That is why we introduced a comprehensive Domestic and Sexual Abuse policy for staff, acknowledging the complex nature of abuse and the vital role employers play in supporting those affected.
Alongside this, we joined the White Ribbon NI movement, pledging never to commit, condone or remain silent about violence against women and girls. Through White Ribbon’s ‘Listen, Learn, Lead’ programme, most of our staff received training to challenge harmful attitudes and foster a culture of respect. Our investigators also undertook specialist training with Nexus, improving their ability to support survivors and their understanding of the modus operandi of perpetrators.
Highlighting this work, Chief Executive Hugh Hume said: “If we support our own staff with strong policies, invest in their learning and development with awareness-raising initiatives, like White Ribbon, and with specialist training by organisations like Nexus, we are enhancing their skills and improving their understanding as complaints officers, as investigators and as corporate support staff.
“However, the work we do internally helps to drive societal change externally, as we role model the behaviours and attitudes we wish to see in others.”
Our commitment to equality extends to recruitment and support for staff with disabilities. We continue to offer guaranteed interviews to disabled applicants who meet essential criteria and provide tailored interview arrangement. Reasonable Adjustment Passports, partnerships with Access to Work, Employers Forum on Disability, Workable NI and Inspire Wellbeing, and the use of sign language interpreters and live transcription services are just some of the ways we ensure our workplace is accessible and supportive.
Mental health remains a priority, with trained mental health first aiders now a part of our newly formed Health, Safety and Wellbeing Committee. This group is helping to shape a new Wellbeing Strategy that reflects the needs of our staff.
Externally, we have strengthened our engagement with communities across Northern Ireland. Our Communications Team continues to work with the Youth and Policing Partnership Forum, helping to build relationships with young people and raise awareness of our services. We maintain a visible presence at Belfast Pride and Mela, engaging with LGBT+ and BME communities, and our annual Equality Monitoring Survey ensures we are serving all sections of the community.
We also strive to ensure the Police Ombudsman workforce is representative of the communities we serve. The profile of our staff on January 1, 2025, shows that excluding employees from a non-determined background, 55 per cent are Protestant and 45 per cent are Roman Catholic; 49 per cent are male and 51 per cent are female.
The Office will continue to monitor our Fair Employment Monitoring Information to ensure that the Office is representative and that jobs are promoted to any groups that are under-represented.
Our recruitment campaigns are advertised widely across social media, job boards, national newspapers and recruitment agencies, guaranteeing a broad reach and accessibility.
Accountability is at the forefront of our working. In 2024–25, we received 74 service complaints, the majority relating to staff interactions. We resolved most of these through apologies, remedial actions or informal resolution, and our independent complaints assessor reviewed 10 cases to ensure transparency and fairness.
Internally, we have delivered a wide range of training to promote equality and good relations, including Diversity and Inclusion eLearning, Disability Awareness, Trans Allyship, and specialist sessions on supporting victims of crime.