Post by dangeresque on Feb 18, 2009 11:13:43 GMT
Jump in stop and search power use
By Vincent Kearney Home affairs correspondent
There has been a jump in the number of people stopped and searched by Northern
Ireland police investigating dissident republican activity.
Police used special powers 2,488 times in the last quarter of 2008, a rise of 245%
on the same period in 2007.
The figures were given to the Policing Board's Human Rights Committee.
The Terrorism Act allow officers to stop and search anyone if they have a reasonable
suspicion that they may be involved in terrorist activity.
Chief Constable Sir Hugh Orde has warned repeatedly that the threat from dissident
republicans is at its highest level for a number of years.
Details of the use of special powers available to officers support that claim.
The committee expressed concern about the increase and said it wanted to ensure that
the use of the powers was justified and proportionate.
'Safe'
Sinn Fein's Martina Anderson said the increase was "shocking and unacceptable".
"The unnecessary use of stop and search powers directly impacts on the ability of
the PSNI to demonstrate to the community that they can police in an effective and
accountable fashion," she said.
Assistant Chief Constable Duncan McCausland insisted they had been used properly.
"The minute that we don't need these powers, these powers will not be used," he said.
"We have got to use them to keep the community of Northern Ireland safe - which is
what every single political party wants."
The Policing Board will discuss the figures at its meeting next month.
The board's figures showed the largest number of people stopped and searched under
Section 44 were in the County Tyrone border town of Strabane - 625.
A total of 315 stops were made in south Belfast, 280 in east Belfast, 276 in north
Belfast and 58 in west Belfast.
Craigavon in County Armagh saw 159 such stop and searches, Dungannon, County Tyrone
123, Limavady, County Londonderry 101, and Newry and Mourne, 99.
Story from BBC
NEWS:http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/h...nd/7895603.stm
Published: 2009/02/17 17:37:06 GMT
By Vincent Kearney Home affairs correspondent
There has been a jump in the number of people stopped and searched by Northern
Ireland police investigating dissident republican activity.
Police used special powers 2,488 times in the last quarter of 2008, a rise of 245%
on the same period in 2007.
The figures were given to the Policing Board's Human Rights Committee.
The Terrorism Act allow officers to stop and search anyone if they have a reasonable
suspicion that they may be involved in terrorist activity.
Chief Constable Sir Hugh Orde has warned repeatedly that the threat from dissident
republicans is at its highest level for a number of years.
Details of the use of special powers available to officers support that claim.
The committee expressed concern about the increase and said it wanted to ensure that
the use of the powers was justified and proportionate.
'Safe'
Sinn Fein's Martina Anderson said the increase was "shocking and unacceptable".
"The unnecessary use of stop and search powers directly impacts on the ability of
the PSNI to demonstrate to the community that they can police in an effective and
accountable fashion," she said.
Assistant Chief Constable Duncan McCausland insisted they had been used properly.
"The minute that we don't need these powers, these powers will not be used," he said.
"We have got to use them to keep the community of Northern Ireland safe - which is
what every single political party wants."
The Policing Board will discuss the figures at its meeting next month.
The board's figures showed the largest number of people stopped and searched under
Section 44 were in the County Tyrone border town of Strabane - 625.
A total of 315 stops were made in south Belfast, 280 in east Belfast, 276 in north
Belfast and 58 in west Belfast.
Craigavon in County Armagh saw 159 such stop and searches, Dungannon, County Tyrone
123, Limavady, County Londonderry 101, and Newry and Mourne, 99.
Story from BBC
NEWS:http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/h...nd/7895603.stm
Published: 2009/02/17 17:37:06 GMT