On
Thursday, August 17, 2006 I spent three and a
half hours visiting the Garnerville PSNI Training
Center.
My visit was urged, and arranged, by the Special
Envoy for Northern Ireland, Dr. Mitchell Reiss.
Dr. Reiss made the argument to me that, since
I have been a long time critic of Northern Ireland
policing, I ought to hear in person the PSNI point
of view.
Because of the intrinsic merit of his argument,
and because of my respect for Dr. Reiss and his
Office, I consented to the visit.
I met with Deputy Chief Constable, Paul Leighton
and three of his male colleagues. Deputy Leighton
immediately apologized on behalf of Chief Constable
Hugh Orde who could not be present as he was on
vacation.
I
raised all the tough questions. And they answered
in an upfront and business-like manner. I was
impressed by their openness, professionalism and
their evident concern to convey their commitment
to a "new beginning'' to policing in Northern
Ireland. They struck me as fine, decent men. I
found myself, I must confess, wanting to believe
that they accurately and authentically reflect
the new approach to policing — both institutionally
and individually.
I
was also given the opportunity to speak privately
(without supervision or recording, I was assured)
to about nine recruits, men and women. I was impressed
by their caliber and enthusiasm.
We
all know that an acceptable police service —
"effective and efficient, fair and impartial,
free from partisan political control'' as envisioned
by the Good Friday Agreement — is absolutely
essential if the peace-process is to succeed.
It is my hope that the PSNI can prove to the Catholic
community that it can be trusted, that the bad
old days are truly over, that sectarianism and
collusion are gone, root and branch. That means
that the British Government must first come clean
on collusion, something that has now been made
harder by the key role given to MI5 in Northern
Ireland and by the gutting of the Public Inquiry
legislation.
