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Police Pull Ad for Stand-in Transport Boss

Posted on: Friday, 31 March 2006, 09:00 CST

By David Gordon

Police have publicly advertised for a temporary chief of a unit at the centre of a major investigation.But, in an unexplained twist, the ad for a stand-in head of the force's transport services was subsequently withdrawn.A legal dispute involving the civilian-run transport services section ended last October with the PSNI making a [Pound]400,000 payout to Belfast company, NI Sheet Metal Works.High Court judge Sir Liam McCollum called for a criminal investigation over the affair, which involved a cancelled contract for armour plating.He said it was "difficult to attribute an innocent motive" to anyone involved in the PSNI's decision-making process.However, Sir Liam also acknowledged that "explanations may possibly be given which would alter the impression which I have formed".In response to his courtroom remarks, police stated: "The PSNI Fraud Squad has initiated a criminal investigation following comments by the judge in the NI Sheet Metal Works case."It later announced that it had suspended two employees, who it did not name.The Fraud Squad probe of the affair is still continuing and it is understood the suspensions are also still in place.The job advert for a temporary full-time head of transport services appeared recently on a job recruitment website

. It was placed on behalf of the PSNI by a human resources consultancy company.The post was described as "temporary full-time", with a salary of [Pound]60,000- [Pound]70,000 plus a company car.In reply to questions about the advert and its later withdrawal, the police service issued a brief general statement.It said: "As a large public sector employer, the police service regularly identifies a wide range of human resources requirements, both temporary and permanent, to meet its business needs. "These are progressed through a variety of recruitment processes, as and when appropriate."The [Pound]400,000 settlement stemmed from the cancellation in 2001 of a PSNI contract placed with NI Sheet Metal Works for the supply of armour plating for vehicles.The firm took legal action and received the payout after evidence was heard over a number of days at the High Court.The court was told that a crunch decision on the contract - relating to the steel supplied by the company - was taken by the head of transport services, David Graham. Mr Graham has been in charge of the PSNI's transport services for a number of years. In 2005, he was short-listed for the finals of the UK Public Servants of the Year Awards for his work at the unit. Mr Graham did not respond to an approach from the Belfast Telegraph for his views on the NI Sheet Metal Works case.

Source: Belfast Telegraph

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