History of the Superintendents' Association of Northern Ireland

The Royal Ulster Constabulary was established on 1 June 1922 under the Constabulary Act Northern Ireland 1922. Section 1(3) of that Act applied the provisions of the Constabulary and Police (IRELAND) Act 1919 to the RUC.

Section 1 of the Act provided for the constitution of representative police bodies. The section was repealed on 15th July 1991 when the Police Association for Northern Ireland Regulations 1971 came into force.

Sections 2 and 3 of the 1919 Act (still in force) contained provisions relating to the prohibition against constables being members of trade unions and a penalty on persons causing disaffection amongst members of the police force.

On 20th July 1923, the Minister of Home Affairs for Northern Ireland under the provisions of the Constabulary and Police (IRELAND) Act 1919 (as applied by the Constabulary Act (Northern Ireland 1922) made Rules for the establishment of representative bodies. (These are contained in the Establishment of Representative Bodies Rules (SR & O) (NI) 1923 No 36).

The Rules established bodies for:

• County and District Inspectors
• Head Constables, Sergeants and Constables
• The Rules also provided that:
• Representative Body for County and District Inspectors "shall consist of one County Inspector and three District Inspectors"
• The Representative Body for Head Constables, Sergeants and Constables "shall consist of two Head Constables three Sergeants and five Constables".
• The members of the force serving in that rank elected each member of the Representative Bodies.
•  The Rules allowed that the two Representative Bodies could by agreement sit together as a Joint Representative Body for any special purpose, or regularly for all purposes of common interest.

They could also be summoned to sit as a joint Representative Body by the Inspector General for the consideration of any question referred to them by him. The 1923 Rules were revoked by the Representative Body Rules 1951 (SR&O) (NI) 1951 No 146).

The 1951 Rules provided for the establishment of:

• Seven County Consultative Boards
• A Central Representative Body
• Officers and Men's Representative Bodies.

Consultative Boards

There was a County Consultative Board for each county in Northern Ireland and the County Borough of Belfast. Each Board consisted of one Head Constable, a number of Sergeants, and a number of Constables each equivalent to the number of Police Districts in the County.

Central Representative Body

The Central Representative Body (CRB) was established for the purpose of enabling members of the force to consider and bring to the notice of the Inspector General and of the Minister of Home Affairs, any matter affecting their welfare and efficiency, other than questions of discipline and promotion affecting individuals. The CRB Northern Ireland was divided into three 'joint areas' and membership was determined as follows:

• The County Inspector serving in the force elected one of their number.
• The District Inspector stationed in the Country Borough of Belfast elected one of the number and the District Inspectors stationed in each joint area each elected one of their number.
• The Head Constable serving on the County Consultative Board for the County Borough of Belfast and the senior of the two Head Constables serving on the board existing in each joint area.
• The Sergeants serving on the Board for each area appointed one of their number.
• The Constables serving on the Board established for each area appointed one of their number.

Officers and Men's Representative Bodies

There were provisions in the rules for:

• The Head Constables, Sergeants and Constables serving on the CRB to form themselves into a separate Representative Body (Men's Representative Body) for the purpose of considering any matter affecting their ranks.
• The officers serving on the CRB, for a like purpose to form themselves into a separate Representative Body (Officer's Representative Body).

Members of all the Representative Bodies and the County Consultative Boards were given leave, not reckoned as annual leave, to enable them to attend meetings of the Board or Body and such attendance was deemed for the purpose of allowances and expenses, to be an occasion of police duty. The Representative Body Rules 1951 were revoked on 15th July 1971 with the making of the Police Association for Northern Ireland Regulations 1971.

Police Act 1970

Section 17(1) of the Police Act (NI) 1970 provides that "there shall be a police association for Northern Ireland for the purpose of representing the Police Force .." Section 17(4) of the 1970 Act provides that the Secretary of State "may by regulations prescribed the constitution and proceedings of the Police Association... " Regulation 3 of the Police Association for Northern Ireland and that the association will comprise 3 sections

• The Association of Chief Police Officers, to represent members of the ranks above that of Chief Superintendent.
• The Superintendents Association to represent members in the ranks of Superintendent and Chief Superintendent.
• The Police Federation for Northern Ireland to represent the ranks below that of Superintendent and Police Cadets.

The Superintendents' Association of Northern Ireland held its first meeting on Monday the 22nd March 1971 at RUC Headquarters, Knock, Belfast. Seven officers were present. A President and Secretary were appointed at that meeting. An Executive Committee was also appointed.

Constitution

The Superintendents' Association of Northern Ireland consists of all officers of the Police Service of Northern Ireland of the rank of Chief Superintendent and Superintendent including those temporarily promoted to these ranks. The Association is divided into four districts:

• Urban Districts and Belfast Regional Police Headquarters;
• Headquarters Departments; 
• Districts in Rural Region (South); and
• Districts in Rural Region (North).

The Executive Committee of the Association shall consist of the officers of the association and seven members elected annually from the four districts. These elections shall take place in March of each year unless the Executive Committee fixes some other month. The members of the Association at the Annual Meeting shall appoint from among the members of the Association the officers for the ensuing year. These shall consist of a President, Vice President, Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer.

The function of the Association and its constituent bodies shall be to consider matters affecting the welfare and efficiency of the Police Force, other than questions of promotion and discipline affecting individuals.

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The Superintendents' Association of Northern Ireland:
Delivering the Future.