Reserves Face Recruitment Process

The full-time police reserve officers who are facing the axe will not be automatically transferred to support duties, the Chief Constable has said.

Matt Baggott insisted auxiliary officers laid off under the Patten Report would have to apply for PSNI jobs through the normal channels.

No special consideration will be given to the former security staff during the recruitment process.

Last week, Mr Baggott pushed forward plans to disband the 440-strong force by 2011.

The Chief Constable has refused to be drawn on the political wrangling surrounding the matter, which the DUP had closely aligned with the devolution of local policing and justice powers.

Mr Baggott has insisted his decision was based on operational circumstances, while the DUP have claimed the retention of the reservists would bolster community confidence amid a growing threat from dissident republicans.

DUP MP Jeffrey Donaldson said that although he respects the independence of the chief constable, he believes Mr Baggott is making a mistake.

Democratic Unionist Leader Peter Robinson has denied the matter is another precondition for transferring policing powers, but said "valuable" former reservists should have a role to play.

Mr Baggot told the NI Policing Board: "We are always in the process of looking at civilianisation.

"We are releasing a lot of police officers back to the streets - anyone with the skills and experience for those jobs (they have vacated) are quite entitled to apply."

A budget of around £1bn has been approved by Downing Street to establish a Stormont Department of Justice.

Sinn Féin has said it wants the new department created as soon as possible, while the DUP says certain issues remain outstanding - namely adequate confidence within the unionist community.

Traditional Unionist Voice Leader Jim Allister, the former DUP MEP, (PR/BMcC)