SF primarily interested in confrontation rather than effective policing

With Alex Maskey terming deployment of the Special Reconnaissance Regiment in support of the PSNI ‘disgraceful’, the question which most readily springs to mind? How committed and genuine is Sinn Féin’s support for policing and justice in actuality? Rather than participating in policing boards in order to make Northern Ireland safer, republicans seem preoccupied with hampering the police in its efforts. Sinn Féin retains a purely attritional, confrontational attitude to policing and the PSNI.

It is perfectly clear that this new special force’s presence is aimed at a real and pervasive threat. In addition, the unit will not fulfil an operational role. It is being deployed, as the chief constable insists, to increase the PSNI’s ‘technical capacity’. Sir Hugh Orde does not need to consult the policing board about this issue and nor should he. The police must be allowed to do their job effectively. The PSNI is only trying to prevent an atrocity being committed by Maskey’s old colleagues after all.

Comments

Timothy Belmont said…
It just seems to be in their psyche; their antipathy towards the Army in NI will never go away despite, as the Chief Constable reminded them, the reality that the Army has not gone away and, furthermore, maintains a garrison of up to 5,000 personnel here.

Dissidents remain a constant problem for all of us; I don't know whether SF could do more to dissuade them or not.
6 March 2009 at 10:04
Anonymous said…
You are telling a wee bit of a fib here, Chekov. Alex Maskey didn't describe the deployment of the the Special Reconnaissance Regiment as "disgraceful", he described the fact that Hugh Orde lied to the Policing Board as "disgraceful". Hugh Orde stated that only Bomb Disposal Units of the British Army where involved in Policing Northern Ireland.

So, the fact that Hugh Orde lied to the group that is supposed to hold the Police accountable does generate a cause for concern.
6 March 2009 at 10:34
Anonymous said…
What? Nothing on the fact that UCUNF is falling apart? Why so?
6 March 2009 at 14:40
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