Published: 15 Oct 2025
Northern Ireland’s airports and harbours are vital parts of its infrastructure and critical to business, tourism and connectivity for citizens. They need to be policed effectively to maintain national security, combat crime and keep everyone safe.
Criminal Justice Inspection Northern Ireland (CJI) has published an Inspection Report highlighting significant differences in leadership, accountability and governance between Belfast Harbour Police and Belfast International Airport Constabulary.
The Belfast International Airport Constabulary has jurisdiction at the Belfast International Airport and the Belfast Harbour Police operates throughout the Belfast Harbour Estate including Belfast Harbour and George Best Belfast City Airport in addition to the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) which has overall responsibility for policing in Northern Ireland.
Inspectors raised concerns about the lack of appropriate police experienced leadership, accountability arrangements, consistency in operational delivery and outcomes, as well as the existing rank structure of t Belfast International Airport Constabulary. To address these issues, the Inspection Team recommended the development of a vision, strategy, and policing plan that addresses these issues aligned with PSNI Policing Plan priorities.
Senior management at Belfast International Airport have indicated their commitment to secure policing improvements that are needed in the short and longer term. They have developed an action plan to implement the accepted inspection recommendations, which was welcomed by the Chief Inspector Jacqui Durkin.
The Belfast Harbour Police were providing effective services and had a trusted partnership with the PSNI. They benefitted from police experienced leadership and appropriate accountability and governance arrangements.
The development of a visible, neighbourhood-focused policing model within the Belfast Harbour Estate has been well received by stakeholders. However, there were opportunities for improvements in strategic alignment with national policing priorities and operational effectiveness.
Despite the positive findings of the Belfast Harbour Police, Inspectors encouraged Belfast Harbour Police to assess the effectiveness of the centralised Criminal Justice Unit model to ensure its work did not discourage their Police Officers from maintaining an investigative mindset.
There were inspection findings that were common to both policing services and the Inspection Team highlighted the need for further collaboration and partnership with the PSNI.
Both police services were urged to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the PSNI within six months to detail and responsibilities of each police service for handling high-risk crime and ensure access to systems, training, support and custody facilities. This is in additional to previous memoranda Belfast Harbour Police had with the PSNI.
A strategic recommendation calls for a full review of airport policing, led by the PSNI in partnership with Belfast International Airport Constabulary and the Belfast Harbour Police. This should ensure alignment with the current operating models as well as compliance with national policing standards.
Inspectors encouraged both police services to work with the Public Prosecution Service for Northern Ireland to adopt digital case processing and called on the Department of Justice to prepare legislation to allow both police services policing powers to extend beyond current jurisdictional limits when required, to support the the full and proper investigation of crime and the transportation of people under arrest to PSNI custody facilities
Public confidence in policing is a shared responsibility. Ensuring quality policing standards and shared priorities across all police services is crucial, particularly in support of the Northern Ireland Executive’s priorities for Safer Communities and Ending Violence against Women and Girls. The five Strategic and five Operational Recommendations in the Inspection Report aim to secure improvement and strengthen policing arrangements.
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