Informers 'deactivated' in review

The Policing Board was told of the intelligence review

Nearly a quarter of all police informers in Northern Ireland have been deactivated in the past three years.

It follows three major reviews into how the force manages its intelligence, the Policing Board has been told.

Assistant Chief Constable Peter Sheridan said action has been taken against those suspected of illegal activity, or who were no longer needed.

Mr Sheridan said intelligence sources under police supervision had helped to save lives.

He said a review had been carried out into the intelligence management system.

"As well as leading to 24% of sources being deactivated, that review had four key outcomes," he said.

"It examined the risks associated with intelligence management, it drew up guidelines on how to manage cases where a source is suspected of committing a serious crime.

"It established new procedures of managing sources, and it created a new unit called the Central Authorisation Bureau to oversee all authorisations for covert policing."

Individuals who operate outside their authorisation will be liable to arrest and prosecution in the same way as any other person who breaks the law Peter Sheridan Assistant Chief Constable

He said security force agents had been an essential weapon in the fight against 30 years of terrorist violence in Northern Ireland.

Mr Sheridan briefed a meeting of the Policing Board in Enniskillen, County Fermanagh, on how the force was developing its intelligence systems and he stressed the major contribution agents had made.

"I have no doubt that intelligence sources under police service management have helped save lives and brought offenders to justice," he said.

"We would not have been successful last year in preventing £7m worth of drugs coming into the province without such assistance.

"Can I say that these people will never commit unauthorised criminal activity? No I can't.

"But what I can say is that individuals who operate outside their authorisation will be liable to arrest and prosecution in the same way as any other person who breaks the law."