Question
ACC Singleton to provide a total of costs incurred to date in relation to the loyalist feud in Newtownards.
Further to the discussion on the removal of flags, ACC Singleton to provide confirmation of the current PSNI policy/powers re removal of flags and an explanation of the difference between a hate incident and hate crime.
Answer
- As of Monday 10 July 2023, the total costs incurred to date in relation to the Loyalist feud in Newtownards are: £717,703, made up of £417,503 in duty time and £296,200 in overtime.
- Within the current statutory framework, the removal of flags is not the responsibility of the Police Service nor do we have a specific power to do so and we will only act to remove flags where there are assessed risks to public safety owing to their erection. It is essential that we are able to demonstrate our commitment to proportionate, lawful, accountable and necessary action if we are to rely on the support of our communities, politicians and partners.
- There is no community or political consensus on the flags issue and ultimately this requires a political, not a policing resolution. Our experience shows the most effective solution to this issue is negotiation, mediation and engagement between local communities working with agencies including local police.
- Responsibility for the removal of flags rests primarily with the land and property owner, for example, the Department for Infrastructure are responsible for street lighting and are responsible for the removal of flags on lamp posts, during which the Police Service will support them in carrying out their statutory duty as required.
- A flag cannot itself be illegal, rather its possession and use, results in the item potentially constituting a piece of evidence as part of a police investigation in relation to a number of potential offences which might be engaged.
- ACC Singleton had offered to discuss the issues concerning flags with the Partnership committee and remains available to do so as required.
A hate crime is any criminal offence which is perceived by the victim or any other person to be motivated by a hostility or prejudice based on:
- a person’s race or perceived race, or
- any racial group or ethnic background including countries within the UK and Gypsy and Traveller groups
- a person’s religion or perceived religion, or
- any religious group including those who have no faith
- a person’s sexual orientation or perceived sexual orientation, or
- any person’s sexual orientation
- a person’s disability or perceived disability, or
- any disability including physical disability, learning disability and mental health or developmental disorders
- a person who is transgender or perceived to be transgender,
- Including people who are transsexual, transgender, cross dressers and those who hold a Gender Recognition Certificate under the Gender Recognition Act 2004.
- A person’s religious denomination or political opinion or perceived religious denomination or political opinion
- Includes Catholic / Protestant, Nationalist / Unionist, Loyalist or Republican but is wider than just the Northern Ireland context and can also relate to other religious denominations for example, Sunni / Shi’ite in Islam
- A non-crime hate incident is any incident, which does not amount to a criminal offence, where the perpetrator’s hostility or prejudice against an identifiable group (as defined above) of people is a factor.
- In determining who is victimised. A non-crime hate incident should not be recorded where it is trivial, it is irrational or there is no basis to conclude that an incident was motivated by hostility or prejudice.