The head of Northern Ireland's new Policing Board today challenged Catholic and Protestant communities to back officers patrolling their streets.
As the scrutinising body met for the first time, chairman Professor Des Rea said the North’s reformed police service required backing from the whole community.
He declared: "We will be judged by the ability of officers to live with the people they serve."
With nationalist representatives involved, the board met in Belfast just days after the Royal Ulster Constabulary was consigned to the history books.
The first batch of recruits to the new Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) began training on Monday.
Under guidelines drawn up by former Hong Kong governor Mr Chris Patten, they were inducted on a 50-50 basis between Catholics and Protestants in a move designed to create a force split evenly between the two.
Officers will be held to account by the 19-strong body, which consists of 10 political appointees and nine civilians.
The nationalist SDLP has backed policing reforms and took its seats alongside members of the Ulster Unionists and Ian Paisley's DUP.
But Sinn Fein has refused to join and insisted the SDLP had made an error in signing up.
Republicans claim the PSNI is not accountable enough to the board and have demanded the immediate banning of plastic bullets.
Sinn Fein policing spokesman Mr Gerry Kelly said: "The board which met today for the first time is not the board set out in the Patten recommendations. It cannot hold the RUC Chief Constable and his force accountable."
As the body got down to work today Professor Rea paid tribute to the losses suffered by the RUC during the conflict.
"It would be remiss not to remember all those officers who have lost their lives," he said. "It would be remiss not to mention all those officers who have been injured and who carry the scars." In his report to the board, Chief Constable Sir Ronnie Flanagan urged members to decide on the symbols for the PSNI so uniforms can be issued.
They were told that separate outfits for formal occasions and day-to-day duties have been designed.
However, until the board agrees on the PSNI's flags and emblems, its uniforms cannot be finalised.
Sir Ronnie also announced plans for a service at Belfast's St Anne's Cathedral next month, commemorating the RUC and its 302 officers killed during the Troubles.
As a conciliatory mood was struck during today's meeting, vice chairman Mr Denis Bradley said it was vital that all sides were allowed to grieve for their dead.
The former priest, who brokered secret talks between the IRA and the British Government, said: "I do not believe that the nationalist community have any difficulty with widows of the RUC holding on to those memories."
And SDLP chairman Mr Alex Attwood also recognised that there had been suffering inflicted on the police.
"People within the police and outside the police continue to carry that pain from what has happened over the last number of years," he said.
Although proceedings were dominated by the significance of the meeting, the harsh realities of everyday policing were also recounted.
Sir Ronnie told members that officers were investigating eight murders committed in the North since October 13th.
PA