13/09/2001

New police force is on course towards equal representation

The Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary Sir Ronnie Flanagan has revealed that more than a quarter of applicants qualified to join the Northern Ireland Police Service are Catholic.

Speaking on Wednesday September 13, the police chief said the target of achieving a police force equally representative of both sides of the community was well on its way to fruition.

Statistics reveal that of the 8,000 people who applied to join the new policing service in Northern Ireland, only 550 met the standards needed for recruitment. Of this number, 28 per cent were Catholics and 33 per cent were women. These recruits will be offered jobs in the next few weeks.

Originally the recruitment drive to gain 50-50 representation of Catholics and Protestants within the new Police Service of Northern Ireland hoped to provide 260 jobs. However, it now seems likely that more than 300 jobs will be offered.

Sir Ronnie Flanagan said he was delighted with the response and added: “We set out to recruit 240 officers in this financial year. We have enough successful applicants to recruit 308.”

The first new recruits to the Police Service of Northern Ireland will begin their training in the period between 14 October and 4 November. They will be on the streets of the province by Spring 2002.

However, the setting up of the 19-member board to oversee the new police service is still uncertain. The SDLP have signed up to the revised implementation plan for policing. Sinn Féin have rejected the plan. The Ulster Unionist Party and the democratic Unionist Party have both failed to deliver their verdict.

In view of the September 22 deadline it is expected that the Secretary of State will ask the political parties to make their nominations to the police board over the next few days. (AMcE)

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