This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-24002671
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Dave Cox to step down as HET director this month in PSNI U-turn | Dave Cox to step down as HET director this month in PSNI U-turn |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The head of the Historical Enquiries Team, Dave Cox, is to step down from his post at the end of the month, after a major U-turn by the Chief Constable. | The head of the Historical Enquiries Team, Dave Cox, is to step down from his post at the end of the month, after a major U-turn by the Chief Constable. |
| Mr Cox is leaving his job after a damning report criticised the way the HET investigated military killings. | Mr Cox is leaving his job after a damning report criticised the way the HET investigated military killings. |
| He was due to step down in December, but policing board members wanted him to go sooner, sparking a bitter row between the board and Matt Baggott. | He was due to step down in December, but policing board members wanted him to go sooner, sparking a bitter row between the board and Matt Baggott. |
| Mr Baggott has now written to the board to say Mr Cox is to step down early. | Mr Baggott has now written to the board to say Mr Cox is to step down early. |
| The Chief Constable contacted policing board members on Friday afternoon to confirm that both Mr Cox and the HET's director of the military operations, Paul Johnston, would leave their posts at the end of this month. | The Chief Constable contacted policing board members on Friday afternoon to confirm that both Mr Cox and the HET's director of the military operations, Paul Johnston, would leave their posts at the end of this month. |
| Heated exchanges | |
| A new HET leadership team is to take over on 28 September. | |
| The U-turn follows heated exchanges at a private meeting on Thursday, between the PSNI leadership and the policing board, which was set up to hold the police to account. | The U-turn follows heated exchanges at a private meeting on Thursday, between the PSNI leadership and the policing board, which was set up to hold the police to account. |
| During the meeting, board members made it clear they would not accept Mr Baggott's decision to allow Mr Cox to remain in post until the end of the year. | During the meeting, board members made it clear they would not accept Mr Baggott's decision to allow Mr Cox to remain in post until the end of the year. |
| They told Mr Baggott that his position as Chief Constable could be damaged by the issue. | They told Mr Baggott that his position as Chief Constable could be damaged by the issue. |
| The HET is a specialist police team, set up in 2005 to re-examine 3,260 deaths during the Troubles in Northern Ireland. | |
| The HET director has been under fire since an inspection report by a police watchdog criticised the organisation's leadership and said the way it investigated deaths caused by the Army was illegal. | |
| Serious shortcomings | |
| The HM Inspectorate of Constabulary report, published in July, concluded that the HET investigated deaths where the state was involved with "less rigour" than other cases. | |
| The HMIC said the HET's policy was based on a "misrepresentation of the law" and added the team's approach was inconsistent and had serious shortcomings. | |
| Following the criticisms, HET investigations of military killings were suspended and the policing board declared that it had no confidence in the leadership of the team. | Following the criticisms, HET investigations of military killings were suspended and the policing board declared that it had no confidence in the leadership of the team. |