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The men and women of the Police Service of Northern Ireland
generally do an excellent job.
But the trouble is that there are not enough members of the
PSNI.
The worst fears of those who warned of the dire consequences
of destroying the RUC and reducing the number of police officers
by half are being realised. Scarcely a day passes without
alarming reports of serious robberies, burglaries and thefts.
And people are living in increasing fear due to horrific murders
and injuries inflicted on people.
People bombard the broadcasting airwaves, and the newspapers
with protests, voicing their concerns. Many have said that
when they have contacted their local PSNI, they have been
told that there is just not the manpower to cope with the
crime.
In such a scenario it would seem crazy to close any police
stations, or to continue to reduce the number of police officers.
Yet, according to press reports, that is precisely what is
being suggested. A number of police stations are under threat,
and the future of the police reservists is still uncertain.
There must be maximum pressure by all concerned politicians,
whatever their allegiance, to oppose any further police station
closures or the axing of any more police jobs.
It also goes without saying that the obnoxious discriminatory
recruitment policy which mitigates against Protestants joining
the PSNI must be scrapped.
It has been well documented how unfair this recruitment policy
is, with Protestants, who constitute 57 per cent of the population
of Northern Ireland restricted to less than 50 per cent of
places on the PSNI.
Roman Catholics, who make up 43 per cent of the population
get 50 per cent of PSNI places.
The majority Protestant population does not even get 57 per
cent, due to the fact that Protestants must take their place
with 'Non-Roman Catholics', which could include atheists,
humanists, agnostics, Moslems, Hindus, and people with no
religious belief.
Northern Ireland is paying a heavy price for the blunders
of the Patten recommendations implemented by a compliant Government.
The sooner this unrealistic policy is reversed the better
it will be for Northern Ireland. Special Branch, a victim
of the Sinn Fein demand list, must be restored, in order to
thwart crimes before they are carried out.
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