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UK Police Federation Joint Statement on Mutual Aid to Northern Ireland
Posted on 17/11/2010
The Police Federation of England and Wales (PFEW), Scottish Police Federation (SPF) and Police Federation for Northern Ireland (PFNI) are the representative bodies for officers of federated ranks from Constable to Chief Inspector and are fully committed to working in partnership with the wider police family to deliver the service to all our communities.
We are keen to support our colleagues in Northern Ireland and already do so in many specialist areas of work.
However, it is the shared view of the United Kingdom Federations that it is not feasible to deploy police officers from mainland UK to frontline duties in Northern Ireland under the guise of mutual aid or interoperability because of the very volatile and demanding circumstances that characterise that policing environment.
Recruits to the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) have to acquire specialist skills and a 24-hour awareness built up among PSNI officers through decades of terrorist conflict; this alertness is essential for survival.
The PSNI should be properly resourced at all times and have contingencies that are fit for purpose.
We are insistent that the deployment of officers in support of our Northern Ireland colleagues cannot be used as a replacement or substitution of PSNI officers who continue to be severed from the service.
