Unionists have criticised proposals in a leaked draft of the Implementation Plan for RUC reform which the SDLP has said does not go far enough.
An "advanced draft" plan has been circulated to the main political parties for consultation and was leaked to the BBC.
The DUP's justice spokesman, Mr Ian Paisley jnr, said the plan put back what had been removed from the Patten Report. "The Implementation Plan quite clearly gives the teeth that people thought were missing from the Police Act," he said.
The draft says many changes, such as merging the Special Branch with the Criminal Investigation Department will be implemented only if the security situation allows.
But Mr Paisley said that despite the "Real IRA" threat and the loyalist feud, the British government was ready to go ahead with these changes. "The language of the document makes it very clear that the situation that pertains at present is acceptable," he said. The SDLP's policing spokesman, Mr Alex Attwood, said the draft plan left many substantial issues which needed to be addressed before his party would lend its support to the new police service. Mr Attwood would not comment on specifics but said "it's not a matter of tweaking, there is substantial work to be done".
The chairman of the Police Federation of Northern Ireland, which represents rank and file RUC members, said he was "extremely angry" that details of the plan had been leaked to the media. Mr Les Rodgers said he was more concerned that his members had not been consulted before the political parties about the plans, which include phasing out the RUC's 2,500-strong full-time reserve.
According to the BBC, the draft calls for the closure of Gough holding centre in Armagh city. There will also be regular reports from the oversight commissioner, Mr Tom Constantine, to ensure that the new PSNI title is being used at all times.