QUIT CALL OVER PSNI 'GESTAPO' COMMENTS
DUP Councillor Paul Givan has called on Alderman Cecil Calvert to resign from Lisburn Council after he compared the behaviour or some police officers to the 'Gestapo' during the monthly meeting on Tuesday night.
During a discussion about the DPP's vote of no confidence in the District Commander over the decision to close Lisburn police station for routine visitors at night, TUV Alderman Calvert described the actions of some officers as "Gestapo like".
But Mr Calvert insisted afterwards that he was referring to specific incidents in Stoneyford surrounding parades and that he was not given a chance to properly explain his position at the council meeting.
But he added: "I can't support a police force that acts outside normal policing methods," he said.
Despite the Mayor asking Alderman Calvert to withdraw his comments, the TUV Councillor insisted that he was standing over them.
Mr Givan then proposed that Lisburn City Council disassociate itself from Mr Calvert's comments - this was seconded by UUP Councillor Basil McCrea and was carried unanimously.
"Alderman Calvert has brought shame on himself and has tarnished the name of Lisburn City Council, his position is untenable and he should resign," said Mr Givan.
He continued: "I was disgusted when the TUV councillor went on a tirade of abuse against the PSNI and in particular when he referred to rank and file officers in the PSNI as 'Gestapo'.
"To compare the PSNI with the Gestapo that was responsible for the murder of six million Jews in Nazi Germany is simply outrageous and Alderman Calvert should resign his Council position immediately and the TUV should expel him from their party.
"This latest attack on the PSNI follows previous comments made by Alderman Calvert when he said that PSNI officers conducted themselves as 'Jack Boot Boys'."
He added: "At a time when the PSNI is under attack from dissident republicans with officers having been killed and seriously injured it is vital that all political parties stand shoulder to shoulder with those men and women who are putting their lives on the line to protect our community and face down terrorism."
Councillor Basil McCrea, who is a member of the Policing Board, did not support the call for Mr Calvert to resign, but said he should immediately retract his comments.
"It was the wrong use of language and he should absolutely retract it immediately" Mr McCrea said.
"I would remind all elected representatives that the language they may have used in the past is not necessarily helpful in delivering confidence in policing. We must all support the police."
On Thursday afternoon Mr Calvert retracted his comments.
In a statement he said: "I regret that in the heat of the moment I made a wholly inappropriate comparison between the conduct of the PSNI and that of the Gestapo. I therefore wish to withdraw these comments.
"I do, of course, reserve the right to criticise the police and indeed the debate in which the remarks were made was one proposed by another party of no confidence in the local commander."
A TUV spokesman added, "Considering some of the extreme comments made in the past about the police by DUP leadership figures we take no lectures from the DUP but commend Alderman Calvert for acknowledging that his remarks were inappropriate."
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Weather for Lisburn
Friday 25 May 2012
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Temperature: 12 C to 23 C
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Wind direction: East
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