No current need for return to 50-50 PSNI recruitment, Long tells MLAs

There is no current need for the reintroduction of a 50-50 recruitment policy for the PSNI, justice minister Naomi Long has told MLAs.

However, Ms Long expressed concern about the low number of Catholic applications to a police recruitment drive, and said she wanted to see the force become more reflective of society.

Amid ongoing concerns over low PSNI numbers, the recent recruitment campaign saw almost 5,000 applications to become student officers.

During ministerial question time at Stormont on Monday, Ms Long said the proportion of Catholic applicants was less than 30%.

She said: “While this is comparable to previous campaigns, I would wish to see figures more reflective of the wider community.”

Sinn Fein MLA Linda Dillon asked the minister if she agreed there needed to be better representation of Catholics at all levels of the PSNI.

Ms Long said the large number of people who had applied to join the force suggested that its recruitment practices were not flawed.

But she added: “There is a wider issue and that is one of attrition over time.

“Where people, either because of threats received, because of intimidation, because of the disconnect between their community and the work that they do, find it difficult to maintain their working arrangements.

“That is something as a society we need to look at and we need to consider.

“If, however, there is evidence that there is a culture within the organisation that also mitigates, either against progression of people’s careers through the organisation or against people wanting to remain within the organisation, we should not be blind to that issue, we should address it and look at it carefully and ensure that is no longer the case.”

TUV MLA Timothy Gaston asked for an assurance that there would be no return to 50-50 recruitment.

The 50-50 policy ran operated for the first decade of the PSNI’s existence, meaning one Catholic recruit for every one person from a Protestant or other background.

Ms Long said: “I am not convinced we have reached the point where we need to reconsider the introduction of 50-50 recruitment.

“However, the member will be aware that as a minister, I must remain open to that request should it be presented to me when it comes either from the Policing Board or the Chief Constable.

“When previously utilised, it was linked to a severance scheme and of course that was established as temporary measures to hasten the restructuring of policing at that time.

“We are in a very different arrangement now.

“It is not something I supported at that time and it is not something I see a need for at this time.”

SDLP MLA Mark Durkan asked the minister if she believed the UK Government recognised “the damage being caused” by their handling of legacy issues to confidence in the rule of law.

Ms Long said: “I have shared publicly my concerns about the approach taken and of course that will impact across the board, not just in terms of confidence in policing but also in terms of confidence in the wider justice system.

“That is of concern to all of us in this House. What the UK Government does is sadly outwith my responsibilities.

“I would want to stress it is important consideration is given to the impact of those issues in terms of our contemporary justice system and in terms of the impact it might have on public confidence in that.”