Omagh DPP was originally set-up by the Northern Ireland Policing Board in co-operation with Omagh District Council on 4 March 2003 and following the Local Government Elections in May this year, the current DPP was reconstituted on the 2nd December 2005.
The Police (NI) Act 2000 gave councils the authority to determine the size of its DPP. There were 15 members appointed to Omagh DPP, 7 Independent Members and 8 Political Members. (All DPPs have one more Political Member than they have Independent Members.)
The selection of 8 Political Members of Omagh DPP is based on the strength of individual political parties on Omagh District Council. All members of the current DPP will serve until after the local governement elections in 2009.
The DPP is made up of members of the local community who are either members of the public, or councillors elected to Omagh District Council. Members of the public who sit on Omagh DPP are known as ‘Independent Members’ as they do not represent a political party, while the councillors are known as ‘Political Members’. Four of the seven independent members have been reappointed and are now serving a second term on the DPP, as have five out of eight policitical DPP members.
At the outset of the process to establish DPPs and to date, Sinn Fein decided not to take part.
The Northern Ireland policing Board is responsible for the appointment of Independent Members while Elected Members (councillors) are appointed by the District Council. In making all appointments the Board has a statutory responsibility to ensure that when taken together - Elected and Independent Members- the DPP is representative of the community it serves.