The PSNI chief constable, Mr Hugh Orde, has denied there was any outside interference which precipitated the sudden retirement of Mr Bill Lowry, a senior PSNI Special Branch officer with 30 years service.
Mr Orde also insisted at a meeting of the Policing Board yesterday that he wants Sinn Féin to join the board despite urgings from unionist members that he desist from making such appeals.
Last month, Mr Lowry, who was responsible for the police investigation into the alleged IRA spy ring at Stormont, caused surprise by abruptly resigning from the Police Service of Northern Ireland. There were reports at the time of serious disagreements between Mr Lowry and Mr Orde.
There were also reports of alleged unauthorised police briefing of some journalists and reference to Mr Orde apologising to Sinn Féin over the PSNI raid on Sinn Féin's Stormont offices, which he appeared to view as heavy-handed.
It has now emerged that Mr Lowry has issued a complaint to the Policing Board. The board's chairman, Prof Desmond Rea, confirmed that a complaint was received but would not name the complainant or provide details.
Informed sources, however, confirmed that it came from Mr Lowry, a former head of the RUC's Superintendents' Association. One source said the complaint amounted to a case for "constructive dismissal" against the chief constable.
In his time as chairman of the Superintendents' Association, Mr Lowry was outspoken. Last year he said some of the Patten changes, including ending the RUC name, had "stolen the organisational soul" of the police.
Earlier this year, he described comments by some Policing Board members about former chief constable Sir Ronnie Flanagan as "disgusting", and was critical of Police Ombudsman Ms Nuala O'Loan's Omagh investigation. He also accused some politicians of interfering in policing.
DUP board member Mr Ian Paisley jnr called for the board to carry out a public inquiry into the full circumstances surrounding Mr Lowry's resignation.
He asked Mr Orde was any pressure brought on him which resulted in the resignation and retirement of Mr Lowry.
"I came under no pressure whatsoever to encourage anyone to leave the Police Service of Northern Ireland," said Mr Orde. He complained about the "amateurishness" and the "inaccurate" nature of the reports surrounding Mr Lowry's retirement.
He said the retirement of any officer with experience would be a loss. However, if an officer with the required service chose to retire, "then that was entirely a matter for him".
Mr Paisley jnr and Ulster Unionist Lord Kilclooney (John Taylor) objected to Mr Orde urging Sinn Féin to join the board. Lord Kilclooney warned that political comment by a police officer was a "very dangerous thing indeed".
DUP member Mr Sammy Wilson queried how could Mr Orde issue such an appeal when the PSNI was investigating senior members of "IRA/Sinn Féin for operating allegedly a spy ring".
Mr Orde, however, refused to back down ohis comments about Sinn Féin, stating that Patten wanted to see a police force which was representative of the entire community. He said he was confident that if Sinn Féin did join the board that, "as an operating policeman, I am likely to become more effective in protecting the community in Northern Ireland".