No matter what some of the 'know alls' of the new 'politically
correct' Northern Ireland might claim, the Royal Ulster Constabulary
was one of the finest police forces in the world, and most
Ulster people will argue that the destruction of the force
was just another sacrificial offering to the IRA and Sinn
Fein.
The destruction of the RUC and its replacement by a Police
Service of Northern Ireland hampered in its willingess to
do the same highly efficient job as its predecessor by ridiculous
and unfair sectarian recruiting to try and attract Roman Catholics,
has left this province highly vulnerable to every form of
crime.
The loss of some 5,500 full-time officers in the past two
years and the threat now hanging over the future of the part-time
Reserve of 1,800 officers, has allowed criminals the latitude
to carry out their despicable crimes throughout Northern Ireland,
including a serious and highly disturbing increase in assaults
on senior citizens.
To rub salt into the wounds as far as the good law-abiding
people in Northern Ireland are concerned, they read in the
national press that police forces throughout the UK and further
afield are head-hunting former RUC officers, because of their
expertise.
It has even been suggested that former RUC officers and serving
PSNI officers could undertake a role in war-torn Iraq, although
this is hardly likely to attract many potential recruits.
Indeed, the very thought of any PSNI officers being seconded
to new duties in Iraq seems ludicrious, especially as nearly
100 have already been sent to Kosovo to help police that trouble
spot. Northern Ireland has few enough police officers protecting
the people without being stripped of more valuable officers
to serve in the world trouble spots.
Those police officers squeezed out of the RUC in the aftermath
of the infamous Patten 'reforms' are also being head-hunted
by private security firms who value their expertise. Indeed,
private security firms have also been trying to recruit former
RUC officers for duties in Iraq - hardly an attractive proposition
irrespective of the financial inducements being offered.
Police officers in Ulster have every reason to feel outraged
at the treatment they have received, and not even the award
of the George Cross to the force - an honour fully deserved
- can remove that feeling of frustration and let-down.
There is also a great need for action to be taken to bring
to justice the killers of over 200 RUC officers who lost their
lives during the Troubles. The murder of these officers should
not be regarded as being closed in order to appease republicans
and disturb the sensitive "peace process".
The files on these murders of policemen, reservists, soldiers
and UDR men and women should never be closed until the law
has taken its course and justice achieved. Murders should
never be part of a "peace process", but unfortunately
that would seem to be one of the results of the Belfast Agreement.
It's encouraging too that police representatives do not favour
the establishment of a so-called peace and reconciliation
forum along the lines of the South African model. The Orange
Standard has consistently opposed the setting up of such a
forum, which could be dominated by groups representing former
terrorists, with no shortage of witnesses prepared to give
evidence on their behalf.
As one former policeman said on a BBC programme, commenting
on this issue, Northern Ireland is a small place, and law-abiding
people could be reluctant to give evidence to such a peace
and reconciliation forum, as they could be targetted by extremists.
On the subject of the police, it is distasteful to say the
least that candidates will be forced to disclose their membership
of organisations like the Orange Order and Royal Black Institution.
These are Christian organisations, pledged to support the
police in carrying out their duties on behalf of the community,
and loyal to the Queen and Crown.
Why should they be required to reveal their private law-abiding
activities? Will the next step be a requirement to divulge
whether candidates have relatives who have served in the British
forces?
The increasing list of requirements expected of police candidates
is creating a 'Big Brother' atmosphere more reminiscent of
Nazi Germany and Communist Russia than part of the United
Kingdom.
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