evidence: Minister [edit]The Minister of Justice is elected by a cross-community vote in the Northern Ireland Assembly,[6] unlike all other Northern Ireland Executive posts, which are either allocated by the d'Hondt method or appointed directly by the largest parties (i.e. the First Minister[7] and the deputy First Minister[8]). The exception was made to resolve a dispute between the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and Sinn Féin.[9] The Alliance Party of Northern Ireland successfully nominated its party leader, David Ford, on 12 April 2010.[10] Ford was re-elected to the position on 16 May 2011[11] and was Minister until 2016.[12] On 25 May 2016, independent unionist Claire Sugden was elected the new Minister of Justice, following the Alliance Party's refusal of the justice ministry. Sugden's tenure as minister ended on 26 January 2017, when the Northern Ireland Executive was dissolved following further disputes between the DUP and Sinn Féin. [...] The Police Service of Northern Ireland is operationally independent and accountable to the Northern Ireland Policing Board; the Minister of Justice has overall responsibility for legislation on policing.