Police in Northern Ireland have outperformed all other UK police forces in their efforts to comply with human rights demands, a new report claimed today.
But legal advisers for the authority that holds the force to account stressed the need to maintain an awareness of human rights issues.
In its first assessment of the force's performance, the Northern Ireland Policing Board examined 12 key areas.
Lawyers Keir Starmer QC and Jane Gordon praised the PSNI for its attempts to meet challenges laid down by law.
Their report said: "In our view, the PSNI has done more than any police service in the UK to achieve human rights compliance, and in many respects we have been very impressed with the work the PSNI has undertaken in the human rights field.
"The fact that a range of recommendations have been made does not mean we have found widespread lack of compliance with the Human Rights Act."
The board's representatives completed a study on how the service was coping with integrating the 1998 Human Rights Act. Police compliance has been strengthened by an internal Code of Ethics introduced as part of attempts to reform the force, they found.
A framework for checking police performance was developed and published by Mr Starmer and Ms Gordon in December 2003.
The pair were given unrestricted access to officers and police documentation, and attended events and incidents as they happened. Meetings were also held with all relevant statutory bodies and a range of interested groups.
PA