Police service attempts to calm graduation ceremony row

The Police Service of Northern Ireland moved today to defuse a row which threatens to overshadow the graduation of its first new recruits next week.

Ulster Unionist Policing Board member Fred Cobain has threatened to boycott the graduation after learning the Ireland's police chief, Garda Commissioner Pat Byrne, will have a role to play.

Moderate nationalists had already threaten a boycott over the presence of Sir Ronnie Flanagan who will have retired as Chief Constable by the time the ceremony takes place on April 5.

Mr Cobain, an Ulster Unionist Assembly member for North Belfast, said it was ‘‘the height of stupidity’’ for Mr Byrne to have any role in the ceremony.

But a PSNI spokesman said Mr Byrne had been invited in recognition of the role the Garda now had in training members of the new service, a role reciprocated by PSNI officers training Garda recruits

‘‘Commissioner Byrne’s presence at the ceremony is in recognition of that fundamental role,’’ said the spokesman, who insisted: ‘‘Pat Byrne will not be the key player.’’

He said Colin Cramphorn, the Deputy Chief Constable who becomes Acting Chief Constable when Sir Ronnie retires at the weekend, would be the ‘‘Convening Officer’’ at the ceremony and would review the graduates.

Mr Cramphorn would be accompanied by Mr Byrne, Sir Ronnie as a representative of HM Inspector of Constabulary, a role he takes on next week and Superintendent Roy Fleming, the head of police training.

The review will form only a small part of the ceremony and the keynote speaker will be Professor Gerry McKenna, Vice Chancellor of the University of Ulster, with which the Police Service now has formal links.

All new recruits to the PSNI study for a formal Diploma in Police Studies, the only force to do so in the British Isles, which is ‘‘quality assured’’ by the university.

Despite the unionist opposition to Mr Byrne, MP Eddie McGrady, an SDLP member of the Policing Board, insisted: ‘‘There is nothing wrong with the attendance of the Garda Commissioner.’’

He said co-operation between the two police services was essential for effective policing.

‘‘The Police Service and the Garda need to have a close relationship if they are going to resolve the crimes of terrorism, of the drug barons

‘‘It has shown so clearly that partnership must be very close in terms of the Omagh bombing investigation,’’ he said.