The North's executive and Assembly have not yet shown the maturity needed to assume responsibility for policing, according to the chairman of the Police Federation for Northern Ireland.
He added: "The Executive and Assembly have some way to go before they demonstrate the political maturity and cohesion that the public and my federation expects."
Mr Jimmy Spratt was opening a conference of the central committees of the police federations of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland in Newcastle, Co Down.
The annual two-day conference is discussing matters of mutual policing interests.
Mr Spratt said of the plans to hand over policing powers to the Executive in 2003 that "one can only admire their ambition, and perhaps their optimism, about this proposal".
He warned: "Let's not jeopardise our future by premature aspirations as to who should have ultimate responsibility for our police service, and for our futures."
In a wide-ranging address Mr Spratt also called on Sinn FΘin not to dissuade young nationalists from joining the new police service.
"My advice to them [Sinn FΘin] is, don't do it. if the police service and the community which we serve are to be fully representative of the wider public, then all must be allowed to come forward."
He said the removal of the GAA's Rule 21 was a "welcome signal that a mood of change is taking place throughout the community".
He welcomed recruits to the new police service and praised the SDLP for "taking their electoral courage in their hands - somewhat overdue many of us might think - and joining the new Policing Board.
"We applaud them and look forward to meeting them as Federation representatives and teaching them the realities of policing without resources."
He claimed the Policing Board was already £20 million in debt and that this was projected to rise to £60 million "by year two if there is no further subvention by government.
"We have not the resources to deliver community policing. That weakness strikes fatally at our ability to function to the satisfaction of a public whose expectations of service are increasing with the peace."
Mr Spratt lamented the loss of the RUC's "proud title" its insignia and uniform but insisted: "We are still the same police officers today who took the oath as RUC officers to uphold the role of law without fear or favour. The new force depends upon those same officers who will determine the ethos of policing in the years to come."
The Deputy Chairman of the Policing Board, Mr Denis Bradley, who is attending the conference said he hoped the board would resolve issues surrounding the choice of a new insignia soon.