Support for Police Ombudsman Nuala O'Loan has soared among the Protestant community in the North, it was claimed today.
A new survey showed 70 per cent of Protestants were confident she would deal with complaints against officers from all sides impartially - up 19 per cent on a year ago.
There was also a slight increase in overall Catholic backing for Mrs O'Loan, although in some areas belief in her fairness dipped slightly. Nationalists said the results were a vindication of the Ombudsman's efforts.
South Down SDLP MP Eddie McGrady said: "This illustrates the unique openness and transparency with which she and her staff deal with matters of the greatest sensitivity."
But hardline unionists, who have accused her of a mounting a vendetta against the police through her investigations, dismissed the findings as irrelevant.
Even though 1,200 people were questioned for the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency survey, Democratic Unionist MLA Ian Paisley Jr, who sits on the Northern Ireland Policing Board, claimed he had no faith in the results.
Overall, 86 per cent of those questioned during February and March knew of the Ombudsman's office and its independence from the Police Service of Northern Ireland. Some 74 per cent on both sides of the religious divide were confident the office dealt with all complaints impartially, compared with 22 per cent who were sceptical.
But the biggest shift in perception was among Protestants surveyed. These results showed:
- 81 per cent believed they would be treated fairly if they complained about the police - an increase of 6 per cent.
- 73 per cent felt the Ombudsman helped ensure the police do a good job - up 8 per cent.
- 70 per cent were confident complaints from both communities would be handled impartially - an increase of 19 per cent.
- Backing for the Ombudsman has also remained high among Catholics, with 85 per cent polled believing her office would help ensure police do a good job and 79 per cent confident of impartiality, increases of 2 per cent and 1 per cent respectively.