Baton complaints highest in NI

Baton complaints highest in NI

Police officers in Northern Ireland are 40 times more likely to receive complaints about their use of batons, according to research carried out by the Police Ombudsman's office.

The research also shows that PSNI officers are six times more likely to be assaulted than their colleagues in Britain, and, unlike those colleagues, they carry live firearms.

Police Ombudsman Nuala O'Loan said that while she accepted that officers were under greater threat from attackers, she said this did not fully explain the level of complaints about baton use.

"Police officers in Northern Ireland do a difficult job and they encounter public disorder situations that are considerably more violent and life-threatening than in other areas," she said.

"Police officers here are armed, of course, and I can see circumstances where it would be right and proper for them to use their batons to prevent their firearms being seized, as this would put them and their assailant in increased danger.

Nuala O'Loan said she wanted to see more training of officers

"Having said that, such incidents do not explain the much higher number of complaints about baton use observed in Northern Ireland.

"There does seem to be a problem."

However, Mrs O'Loan said she wanted to see more training in the use of batons.

"At the moment there are not enough trainers or facilities and there is no refresher training for experienced officers," she said.

The research considered 419 complaints about the use of batons submitted to the Ombudsman's office between November 2000 and March 2002, and compared them with nine other forces in England and Wales.

Mrs O'Loan said she was also concerned at the level of complaints which alleged blows to the neck or head, despite force instructions that blows to the head should only be used in extremely grave situations.

A spokesman for the Police Federation, which represents rank and file officers, said it was no surprise that the level of assaults on officers in Northern Ireland was six times higher than those in Britain.

"Police officers in Northern Ireland are deliberately targeted in public order situations and are obliged to defend themselves with their batons.

"Officers do receive training but attackers seem reluctant to stand still so that only their forearms are struck.

"We share Mrs O'Loan's view that as much training as possible should be provided to officers."