Policing the past to police the future

Abstract

In the 32 years following 1966 more than 3200 people lost their lives in Northern Ireland. Over 1800 of these deaths are recorded as unsolved by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI). The families' perspective is different and in very few cases have all their queries have been resolved. This paper examines the creation of The Historical Enquiries Team (HET), a unique concept in world policing, which is an imaginative attempt to bring some form of resolution to families of victims of ‘The Troubles’,1 by reviewing the deaths of their loved ones and seeking to answer questions that remain, for them unresolved. Modern police investigations are all supported by use of trained analytical staff, using bespoke technology to provide support and insight to senior detectives. The HET has invested heavily in analytical support, both in supporting the PSNI Analytical Department to develop and manage the Historical Enquiries Analytical Database (HEAD) and in the provision of dedicated, on site Analysts. The intention is that by using the latest analytical techniques, they assist in identifying potential suspects for individual cases, potential witnesses and linkages between cases through trends, description, ballistics, etc. They will also provide a holistic review of all cases related to the security situation during the period under review, in order to identify trends and methodology and thereby identifying the involvement of individuals, groups or organisations as potential suspects. The HEAD database, currently being refined, updated and tested, will be the dominant IT application and will underpin the collation, recording, retention and analytical functions of the HET review and re-investigation process. While it has useful facets in terms of administrative management, its primary use will be as an analytical tool.

Notes

1. ‘The Troubles’ is a generic term used to describe a period of sporadic communal violence involving paramilitary organisations, the Royal Ulster Constabulary, the British Army and others in Northern Ireland from the late 1960s until the mid-1990s.

2. C Patten The Report of the Independent Commission on Policing for Northern Ireland, September 1999 at http://www.belfast.org.uk/report/fullreport.pdf.

3. D McKittrick, S Kelters, B Feeney and C Thornton Lost Lives Mainstream, Edinburgh, 1999.

4. J Stevens Stevens Enquiry: Overview and Recommendations, 17 April 2003.

5. Article 2 Code of Ethics for the Police Service of Northern Ireland Northern Ireland Policing Board, Belfast, UK.

6. Independent Commission for the Location of Victims' Remains, established by an agreement made on 27 April 1999 between the UK Government and the Government of Ireland; as instituted by the Northern Ireland (Location of Victims' Remains) Act 1999.