PSNI reassured about justice schemes

The British government appears to have moved substantially to reassure the PSNI that the police will be centrally involved in…

The British government appears to have moved substantially to reassure the PSNI that the police will be centrally involved in any state-funded community restorative justice (CRJ) schemes in Northern Ireland.

And the resulting expectation in police circles is that a number of the schemes currently operating in republican communities may refuse to sign-up for proposed British guidelines for their future operation, expected to be published next week.

This became clear last night as Sinn Féin launched a furious attack on SDLP leader Mark Durkan, following his warning that the emergent British proposals could result in "state-paid vigilantism" and might "fundamentally damage the rule of law".

Sinn Féin general secretary Mitchel McLaughlin accused Mr Durkan of "slavishly following an agenda set by the securocrats within the Northern Ireland Office to try and allow [DUP leader] Ian Paisley off the hook" over his continuing refusal to revive powersharing government at Stormont.

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Mr McLaughlin insisted Mr Durkan's opposition to CRJ schemes had "nothing at all" to do with how they operated, and denied they represented an alternative to an acceptable and accountable policing service - but were, rather, an added extra with a proven track record.

Ahead of Mr Durkan's first meeting tomorrow with Tory leader David Cameron, Mr McLaughlin declared: "If ever there was evidence that the SDLP have become part of the policing establishment and how far they have travelled from nationalist opinion in Ireland, it is their effort later this week to build an alliance with the British Conservative Party to prevent further necessary change and try and scupper the important work done by CRJ schemes within local communities."

However, SDLP Police Board member Alex Attwood queried Mr McLaughlin's credibility as a policing spokesman.

"Rather than face up to the well-documented concerns about CRJ schemes, Sinn Féin again send out Mitchel McLaughlin to embarrass himself with a fresh political reminder," Mr Attwood said. "A week after the family of Jean McConville were vindicated by the Police Ombudsman, Sinn Féin put up as a policing authority the very man who refused to accept that her murder was a crime."

Senior police sources told The Irish Times they were satisfied that the original draft guidelines for the operation of the schemes have been amended to preclude "third party reporting" of offences, which the Policing Board had feared would enable CRJ schemes to contact other agencies like the Probation Service and effectively bypass the PSNI.

While saying they had not seen the "final, final draft", the sources said they were satisfied the police would be involved in the receipt of complaints and the consideration of whether a case was suitable for reference to a community-based scheme before decision by the Public Prosecution Service.

Insisting this was necessary to the effectiveness of such schemes, the sources explained that an individual complaint could necessitate further police investigation, and also access to relevant background information which only the police held, before the decision was taken that it was in fact suitable for treatment by means of the restorative justice process.

The sources acknowledged there were concerns about vetting arrangements to determine the suitability of personnel working on CRJ schemes.

However, there appears to be relief in the PSNI that, while police will provide relevant information, decisions about the suitability of persons - including former paramilitary prisoners released under the Belfast Agreement - will be taken by an independent vetting panel.