Report slams slow pace of change in Special Branch

The Police Oversight Commissioner in the North has criticised the slow pace of change in Special Branch.

In an 86-page report launched this morning, Tom Constantine, a retired New York senior police officer, says however that progress is being made.

The mammoth and politically sensitive task of ensuring the Patten Report is implemented falls to Tom Constantine who has not been backward in pointing out problems in the past.

In today's report, he repeats his concern about the slow pace of reform in Special Branch.

Without naming any individual or party, he says not everyone is doing enough to encourage recruitment to the new service and he criticises paramilitary threats to new recruits.

He is also concerned about selective implementation of some of the proposed reforms and says there is room for improvement on community and training.

There are positives however and he has praised the work of the Police Board and the Police Ombudsman.