POLICE FEDERATION SEEK RUC RESERVE MERGER

THE Northern Ireland Police Federation has called for the RUC reserve to be merged into the regular police force.

The call was made during a meeting with the Northern Ireland Office (NIO) on Thursday, which discussed severance arrangements for full time reserve officers.

Federation secretary David McClurg said it was the third meeting the group had with the NIO.

The Federation said plans to discuss severance arrangements of the Reserves was “totally unreal” against the current backdrop of increasing street disorder, political uncertainty and diminishing resources.

Vice chairman of the Federation Jimmy Spratt, said that with 39 officers already injured as a result of Wednesday night's confrontations in North Belfast and with gunfire, petrol bombs and blast bombs coming from both sides, the Force was under tremendous pressure.

He said: "It is totally unreal that against this background of street conflict that this Federation is having to conduct talks today on the severance arrangements of the Reserve. It is unacceptable that 39 officers should be injured trying to uphold the peace and to keep communities from tearing each other apart. Many of those injured last night in North Belfast and recently at Garvaghy Road in Portadown are Full Time Reserve officers.

"Far from discussing redundancy terms, Government should be recognising their essential and indispensable contribution to policing by merging them into the Regular Force. This move would in no way jeopardise the current recruitment programme.

"The Government must also recognise that in confrontations police officers need to have the resources to protect their human rights and that rioters place themselves in jeopardy voluntarily.

He also said that police officers needed to hear and see the support of Government at this time. (AMcE)