The role of the Police Ombudsman’s office in investigating complaints about the PSNI is part of the ‘Learning for Life and Work’ (LLW) GCSE (Unit 1: Local and Global Citizenship).
If you’re studying for this GCSE, we hope you’ll find these questions and answers helpful.
What is an Ombudsman?
An Ombudsman is an official who is appointed to investigate complaints by citizens or consumers.
The Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland investigates complaints about the conduct of police officers. She also investigates serious matters referred to her by the police, the courts and other official bodies if they feel it is in the public interest that a concern about the conduct of police officers should be the subject of an independent investigation.
The law which established the Police Ombudsman’s Office said it must carry out its duties in such a way as to win the confidence of the public and the police. That means its handling of complaints and its investigations must be independent of any improper influence from the police, from the Government and from any sectional community interest.
The Office is funded by the Northern Ireland Executive’s Department of Justice and is accountable to the Northern Ireland Executive for the proper use of its funds.
The law gives the Police Ombudsman’s investigators the same type of powers as police officers: during the course of an investigating they can, for example, carry out searches, seize equipment and if necessary arrest police officers. At the end of their investigation they can recommend that police officers should be prosecuted or disciplined.
What is the role of the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland?
The Police Ombudsman provides an independent, impartial system for dealing with complaints about police officers in Northern Ireland.
Mrs Marie Anderson is the current Police Ombudsman and heads up the Police Ombudsman’s Office.
Why is it important to have a Police Ombudsman in Northern Ireland?
In order to do their jobs, police officers are given powers to arrest and detain people, to search people and property, to seize items as evidence, and to use force, including weapons, when needed. It is important that officers use these powers properly. It is also important to have a way of dealing with people’s concerns if they believe that officers have abused these powers or acted improperly.
How did the Police Ombudsman’s Office come about?
The Police Ombudsman’s Office was set up to provide an independent and impartial method of investigating complaints about the conduct of police officers in Northern Ireland.
Prior to November 2000 when the Police Ombudsman’s Office opened, complaints against the police here were dealt with by a body called the Independent Commission for Police Complaints. Under that system, police officers themselves investigated complaints against the police under the supervision of a Commission.
Concerns were raised that these investigations had not all been handled in a truly independent way.
In November 1995 the Government then asked a senior civil servant, Dr Maurice Hayes, to carry out a review of the system. Dr Hayes consulted across the community. He reported that the overwhelming message he received from people was that they wanted a system for investigating complaints against the police which would not only be independent but be able to demonstrate that it was independent.
He produced his report in January 1997. It recommended that an independent Police Ombudsman be appointed to deal with all complaints against the police.
The Patten Commission – set up to review policing as part of the Good Friday Agreement – had released its report the year before the Hayes report. It made 175 recommendations for change, including that the Royal Ulster Constabulary should be replaced by a new Police Service of Northern Ireland.
The Police Ombudsman’s Office was, therefore, born into a period of momentous policing change in Northern Ireland.
Is the Police Ombudsman independent from the Police?
Yes. The Police Ombudsman is separate from the police and independence is extremely important for our work.
Being independent means that when you make a complaint, you can be confident that your allegations will be investigated fairly, impartially and free from any police, governmental or community influence.
What kind of things does the Police Ombudsman investigate and who can complain?
Anyone who feels they have been mistreated or let down by police in Northern Ireland can make a complaint to us.
The most common types of complaint we receive include that police officers failed in their duty or did not do their jobs properly, used excessive force or acted oppressively, or were rude or uncivil.
Our investigators also look at more serious issues, including:
- All incidents in which police officers use live fire against someone,
- All fatal road traffic collisions involving police,
- All deaths in police custody,
- Any situation in which police may have caused a death or contributed to the circumstances of a death,
- And every occasion on which a police officer uses CS Spray against a juvenile.
Do you have to pay to make a complaint?
No. It costs nothing to make a complaint.
Does the Police Ombudsman investigate complaints about the old police service, the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC)?
Until 30 April 2024, the Police Ombudsman’s Office did have a role in investigating historical complaints about the RUC which related to the period known as ‘The Troubles’ (between 1968 and 1998).
From the 1 May 2024 the power to investigate deaths and serious injuries related to the Troubles lies with the Independent Commission for Reconciliation and Information Recovery (ICRIR).
You can find more information in our Historical Reports section.
What happens if an investigation finds that a police officer has acted improperly?
If an investigation finds that a police officer has breached the police Code of Ethics, the Police Ombudsman can make recommendations that the officer should be disciplined.
These recommendations are considered by the police and the police then decide what action should be taken against the officer.
If the case is considered to involve criminality, then we send a file of evidence to the Public Prosecution Service (PPS). The PPS will then consider the evidence and decide whether the officer should be prosecuted.
Where can I find more information about the Police Ombudsman’s work?
We publish investigations reports, including reports on historical investigations, detailing issues which the Office has investigated, the evidence it has considered, and explaining the conclusions reached.
We also regularly publish statistical reports which give details about the number and types of complaints and allegations we receive, and about how satisfied members of the public and police officers are with the way in which we do our work.
Like to know more?
If you would like to know more about our work, we can visit your school, youth group or community group.
If you would like to arrange a visit, please contact us at [email protected]