Speaking from Westminster he said “We welcome the decision by the Chief Constable to step down. It is the right thing to do following last week’s ruling by Mr Justice Schofield that the PSNI senior command unlawfully disciplined two of its own officers to appease Sinn Fein.
Fair and even-handed policing is just as foundational to progress in Northern Ireland as fully functioning political institutions operating on a cross community basis. Public confidence has been damaged, but so too was confidence amongst rank-and-file officers in the police leadership.
The resignation of the Chief Constable is not an end in itself, but merely an opportunity to make a fresh start in rebuilding that lost confidence both inside and outside the PSNI. At a time when officers are holding the line amidst unprecedented budget cuts it was the minimum necessary to send a message that the organisation is listening to widely held concerns.
The focus now must be on the future of policing in Northern Ireland and ensuring we have efficient, effective policing which everyone can have confidence is impartial in its actions.”