Examination of Witnesses (Questions 60-61)
8 DECEMBER 2004
PROFESSOR DESMOND
REA, MR
DENIS BRADLEY
AND MR
TREVOR REANEY
Q60 Reverend Smyth: In
an earlier reply dealing with sickness, you suggested that a part-time
problem might be resolved in the future. Is there a concern in
the Board about the impact this is having upon reserve officers
and their families when they are not being told very much about
when they might be getting their notice and they are being left
in limbo?
Mr Rea: With respect
to the full-time reserve, let there be no doubt in this Committee
that certainly the majority of Board members realised that this
was a very painful decision and were concerned about it. It is
very important that this decision, having been made, is being
effectively managed. I am aware that there are problems at this
moment in time about the management of it, and indeed I have asked
the Chief Executive to meet with I believe it is the Deputy and
the Head of Human Resources so that they are absolutely sure what
the sticking points are. Once they are aware of those sticking
points, I will be writing to the Secretary of State in order to
ensure that the important decisions are made, precisely because
of the reason you are getting at. I think, having reached the
decision, then we should not be imposing any pain whatsoever,
but there should be maximum communication with the people involved
to remove any remaining uncertainty. I take on board totally your
comment and I endorse it.
Q61 Chairman: This is
the last question. We have left the easiest one to the end. In
your Annual Report you note that Chief Constables are to provide
a detailed presentation on the composite plan for the implementation
of Blakey, Crompton and Stevens. Are you satisfied with that?
Mr Rea: I think
I referred to this early on in this session when you asked me
about our knowledge of policing as a board. The Board delegated
the Chairman and Vice Chairman to monitor all of the recommendations.
We brought in HMIC—and Ken Williams is here and he can confirm
the way in which they approached it—to look on the ground
to ensure that these recommendations were being implemented. We
believe that they have been implemented and, not only that, but
there has been a presentation in public which gave to the wider
community in Northern Ireland precisely what the organisation's
structure now is in the PSNI with respect to the integration of
these two areas, to ensure that the sort of thing that happened
in respect of Omagh would not happen in the future; at least the
possibility would be reduced.
Chairman: That is a good
answer to end on. Thank you very much indeed, all three of you.
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