The DUP leader, the Rev Ian Paisley, has criticised the RUC Chief Constable for discussing the force's future with the SDLP but not with his party.
Speaking on the BBC's Inside Politics, Dr Paisley said Sir Ronnie Flanagan was "out of his depth", adding: "It is no wonder that the members of the police force are leaving. It is no wonder that they are taking their payment and going because they are completely and totally demoralised.
"I repudiate the right of any chief constable, outside the elected leadership of the people of Northern Ireland, to negotiate with one sectional interest in order to sell the police force out to them. That thing must be stopped," Dr Paisley insisted.
The DUP leader also demanded a full renegotiation of the Belfast Agreement, saying a "formal review" as proposed by the Ulster Unionist leader, Mr David Trimble, in recent days would not be sufficient. By calling for "new, proper democratic structures" Mr Trimble had effectively admitted that the agreement needed to be "thrown away", Dr Paisley claimed.
A Sinn Fein MLA, Mr Gerry Kelly, said his party would be vigorously opposing any recruitment drives by the RUC. His comments came after speculation that the force was to begin a recruitment campaign within days, despite earlier comments by the Chief Constable that he was delaying the process in the hope of gathering nationalist support for the new Police Service first.
Mr Kelly said that unless the British government committed itself to establishing a democratic and accountable police service Sinn Fein would boycott such a recruitment campaign.
"What nationalist or republican politician or community leader or church leader could possibly encourage any young nationalist to sign up to participation in a police force that is still run by the old guard in the RUC, still retains the ethos of the RUC, refuses to take an oath to uphold human rights and is still called the RUC?
"Unless the British government is prepared to make the requisite changes and give the commitments of certainty that are essential, Sinn Fein will be vigorously opposing any recruitment campaign to this force," Mr Kelly added.
Meanwhile, a Northern Ireland Police Authority spokeswoman has confirmed that two senior Garda officers have failed in their attempts to be appointed to senior positions in the RUC.
A chief superintendent based in Dublin and a superintendent from Garda headquarters had been among 11 applicants for two posts of RUC assistant chief constables. Late last week, however, a selection panel whittled down the list to eight candidates, rejecting three applications, among them those by the two Garda officers.