Protecting Human Rights and Securing Peace in Northern Ireland: The Vital Role of Police Reform

This hearing examined ongoing human rights efforts in Northern Ireland, in particular underscoring the importance of police reform for a just and lasting peace in Ulster. Chairman Smith stressed the significance of the British government's pending decision on the Patten Report, noting that its enactment would be a definitive move towards police reform. One witnesses, Gerald W. Lynch, a professor at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, said, "The Patten report provides a framework on which a police service built on a foundation of human rights can be achieved." The Commissioners also commended the Good Friday Agreement.