NIO proposes ideas to replace old RUC badge

The Northern Ireland Office has come up with seven different ideas for the design of the new Police Service of Northern Ireland emblem as a draft consultation document in order to assist the Policing Board.

The designs from professional graphic designers commissioned by the NIO use symbols including the blue flax flower representative of Northern Ireland’s huge linen industry, a bridge, wreath and a star. The new designs do not however possess references to the crown of the old Royal Ulster Constabulary or the Irish harp.

Northern Ireland Security Minister Jane Kennedy said the designs had been drawn up to assist the newly formed Policing Board make their cross-community decision.

The government has said it wants responses to the new proposals by Friday 14 December.

If the board, which has a membership of ten political and nine non-political representatives, cannot come to agreement, Ms Kennedy said: “It will fall to the Government to take the decision after consideration of the responses to this consultation. We have consistently said that we will not decide on an outcome which would deter recruitment or be objectionable to a substantial part of the community.”

Responding to the proposals North Belfast Assembly member Gerry Kelly said: “Sinn Fein will study closely the regulation published today by the British government. The Patten report was very clear and unambiguous on this issue. It said: ‘That the Northern Ireland Police Service adopt a new badge and symbols which are entirely free from any association with either the British or Irish states.

“Sinn Fein will make a submission to the British government on this issue and our benchmark will be the Patten report recommendations.”

Ian Paisley Jnr, one of the three Democratic Unionists who sit on the Policing Board has said the proposed emblems “should be rejected.” Speaking on Monday he said: “These emblems are demeaning and obscure and remove all links with Britishness ad indeed Irishness. The crown, the harp and the shamrock are emblems which have long historical links carried over from the Royal Irish Constabulary and they should be retained. The flax flower contained in some of the emblem is not representative of Northern Ireland and how it came to represent the Northern Ireland assembly I have no idea - it looks more like something out of a Laura Ashley store.” (AMcE)