Ministers and police chiefs accused over severance scheme

The British government and police chiefs in Northern Ireland exploited a voluntary severance scheme to stop up to 200 officers quitting the force, a court heard today.

As long-serving men and women who want to leave the force attempted to have the current arrangements halted, their lawyers claimed they were the victims of major discrimination.

The system for slashing police strength from 13,000 to 7,500 full-time officers is based on a combination of age plus length of service.

Even though many of those behind the legal action have served longer than others able to leave, they do not qualify for lucrative pay-offs because they joined the service so young.

Responsibility for the scheme is split between the Chief Constable, who decides eligibility criteria, and the Northern Ireland Office, which draws up the financial packages for returning officers.

Up to 40 of the group taking part in the judicial review were in Belfast High Court today to hear Arthur Harvey QC make scathing criticisms of the plan.

He said: “What happened here was, instead of an integrated approach by the police service and the NIO, both used the division of their responsibilities to obscure from the applicants a proper and correct approach.

“Instead of dealing with these persons in an integrated marriage of both dimensions to this package, both used the responsibility of the other to push the applicants quite literally from pillar to post.”

The scheme was set up under the Patten reform blueprint aimed at transforming the overwhelmingly Protestant police force.

Hundreds of eligible officers have already accepted voluntary retirement packages worth £135,000 (€200,500) plus £1,100 (€1,600) a month to constables alone.

Some of those barred have served for nearly 30 years, but they have been forced to remain in the ranks while other less-experienced officers have left.

The men and women, known as the Age Discrimination Group, launched their judicial review after Chief Constable Hugh Orde declared the eligibility criteria would remain.

Mr Harvey claimed the arrangements were largely based upon the costs to the public purse.

He told the court: “The financial cost of the Patten Report has not been made public but it must be enormous.

“The fair treatment of police officers who have dedicated their lives to the service of this community during its most difficult and darkest days can only be seen against the total financial demands made of the whole report.”

The hearing is expected to last for two days before the judge, Mr Justice Higgins, delivers his verdict at a later date.