Police board members 'may face terrorism risk'
Members of Northern Ireland’s new district policing boards may face a threat from dissident republican terrorists, Chief Constable Hugh Orde warned today.
With the Real IRA and Continuity IRA plotting to wreck the peace process, Mr Orde admitted the risk of fresh attacks was high.
But he pledged to protect the 207 independent representatives on the bodies as they begin working with police commanders in their areas.
He said: “Everyone that gets engaged in policing may take some risk, it depends on where they are and the level of threat in those areas.
“We will do everything we can to look after them.”
A total of 26 District Policing Partnerships (DPPs) have been set up across Northern Ireland in a bid to strengthen community input in crime-solving strategies.
Mr Orde claimed the authorities were starting work amid heightening fears of further strikes from organisations opposed to the Good Friday Agreement.
Dissident republicans have already mounted attacks on Police Service of Northern Ireland officers in an attempt to scare Catholics out of joining the new force.
A bomb was planted under the car of one recruit in Ballymena, Co Antrim last year while another officer was forced to flee his home in Newry, Co Down after intelligence reports indicated a murder bid was imminent.
As DPP representatives met at a major conference in Belfast to launch the initiative, Mr Orde cautioned that the terrorists may be intent on stepping up their campaign.
“We need to be clear about this, there is a risk at the moment. The risk is from dissident republicans and we need to work hard to police that out,” he said.
In a reference to the district board members, he added: “These people have made a very brave decision to get engaged in policing.
“What is clear is there are a lot of people who are willing to engage rather than disengage and criticise from the sidelines.”
But one of the new DPP members vowed not to let any terrorist threat stand in the way of his work.
Bertie Kerr, an Ulster Unionist on the Fermanagh board, said: “I don’t back off from anybody.
“I worked as a telephone engineer serving the police and army for nearly 30 years and the terrorists said I was a legitimate target.
“I didn’t flinch from them then and I surely to God will not flinch now.”
As the bodies – which are split along district council lines – began working with their local police commanders, Professor Desmond Rea, chairman of the central Policing Board, urged them to form a close partnership.
He said: “It will mean a unique opportunity for local people to work closely with local people to help shape local policing, to help reduce crime in the community and, by doing so, to help provide a better quality of life for everyone.”
The Northern Ireland Security Minister, Jane Kennedy, claimed the DPPs would bring policing and the communities together in a structured framework for the first time.
“Bringing transparency to policing across all council areas is a very important development,” she said.
“I very much hope that many members of the public will take their opportunity to attend meetings and put questions.”
