Sinn Féin MLA Gerry Kelly said today:

“The Chief Constable has shown scant regard to the views of the Policing Board with his decision to extend the use of the spit and bite hoods across the PSNI.

“He knows that the scientific and medical evidence is that these hoods offer no additional protection from Covid-19.

“He has rejected the Policing Board’s recommendation to stop their use while admitting their use is a ‘use of force’ by the police and that they can and have been used on children over the age of 10.

“Even the more limited previous use of these spit and bite Hoods should have been stopped by the end of 2020.

“Instead of doing this PSNI has now decided to give these hoods to even more officers to use.

“The real risk in this use of force is to any vulnerable individuals that it may be used on.”