Member's statement: Police Service of Northern Ireland: Rule of Law
Member's statement by Mr Keith Buchanan on .
- MLA
- Mr Keith Buchanan
- Party at the time
- Democratic Unionist Party
- Date
- 29 September 2026
- Type
- Member's statement
- Business
- Members' Statements
- Heading
- Police Service of Northern Ireland: Rule of Law
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 5761239
Read the official Assembly record
Text
As a member of the Northern Ireland Policing Board (NIPB), I have watched policing operations over the past number of years. I have watched operation after operation with interest. At a public session of the Policing Board, I mentioned "marshmallow policing", and we see marshmallow policing — soft policing — in some communities. I used to dismiss the term "two-tier policing", saying, "No, it does not happen", but it is evident that it has happened in the past. Given the events of the past few days, it is very concerning that the PSNI seems unable to uphold the law of this country. On Thursday, the Policing Board will meet in public session. My colleagues will be at it, as, interestingly, will my other Policing Board colleague. It will be a very interesting session. From the Chief Constable, I expect to get information and positive feedback and not waffle. It is time for the PSNI to uphold the rule of law, because Northern Ireland is watching it very closely. This is the PSNI's last chance. It has to get it right. I say to the young people in the Public Gallery that it is good that you are here listening to the proceedings of the Northern Ireland Assembly. I will give you some homework: when you go home, I want you to google "Pat Sheehan", the gentlemen whom you heard from earlier. Pat Sheehan is a convicted bomber. He blew up a cash and carry, so do not listen to the frills from him. He is a convicted bomber. I am not a convicted bomber; I am a law-abiding citizen. I have not broken any laws, although I think that I was caught speeding maybe 30 years ago.
Apologies, Mr Speaker. I want to make sure that those young people go home and do their googling. Google one MLA. Then google all 90 and understand that, when people say things that they do not believe in, they are telling lies. Convicted bombers do not tell the truth.
336 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
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