Sir, - There is an urgent need for a serious debate on the recent British government White Paper proposing reform of the policing structures in Northern Ireland.
The Northern Region of the Conference of Religious of Ireland believes that this White Paper offers no real proposals for overcoming the disaffection of the nationalist community, or indeed sections of the unionist community from both the RUC and the Police Authority.
We believe that much more radical changes are required if Northern Ireland is ever to have a fully representative police service.
We see three central problems with the proposals for the Police Authority. Firstly, it will not be representative of the people of Northern Ireland. (We acknowledge that there are major difficulties in achieving this ideal because of political disagreements in Northern Ireland.) Secondly, there are, in our view, no effective sanctions over the Chief Constable should he or she fail to carry out their policy. Thirdly, it is hardly appropriate for the government to publish a White Paper on such a central issue at the very time that they have called all party talks to discuss future structures for Northern Ireland.
The White Paper also fails to deal with other essential matters. ,These include the need for the symbols of policing to be, changed. We strongly disagree with the views expressed by Sir John Wheeler on this matter. While we recognise that changes such as ceasing to fly flags over RUC stations and changing the name of the RUC can cause deep pain to unionists, such changes are a necessary part of affirming the identity of both traditions in Northern Ireland, and can help create a neutral work environment which recognises that the people whom the police in Northern Ireland are paid to serve, include, amongst others, both unionists and nationalists. - Yours, etc.,
Justice Sub Group,
Conference of Religious of Ireland,
Northern Region,
Springfield Road,
Belfast.