Chief Con needs to rethink Full-Time Reserve

Speaking following correspondence received by the Ulster Unionist Party Tom Elliott MLA for Fermanagh and South Tyrone has highlighted the contradictory decision taken by the PSNI in relation to the full-time Reserve.

Mr. Elliott said, "I remain shocked that such a decision has been made at a time when we have seen the disastrous and deadly effect of such heightened dissident activity. There are some areas of Northern Ireland, my own being one of them, that are facing daily threat from dissident republicans. The much quoted IMC reports unquestionably back this up.

The letter received from the PSNI stated that: 'The Chief Constable has publicly stated that one of the highest priorities the Service faces at present is the threat posed by Dissident Republican groupings. You will not be surprised to know that the police response to this challenge has involved a considerable amount of resources, both human and financial.'

"A considerable amount of human resources were put into responding to the dissident threat. Why are we then deciding to axe some of the very same human resources which have been directly deployed to protect our communities? It is inconceivable that losing the full-time Reserve could possibly be a reasonable decision. The decision simply opposes logic and directly conflicts with current threat levels in Northern Ireland and other decisions made to date.

"I can only repeat what I said during the debate on Tuesday:

I absolutely deplore what, in my view, is a political-puppet decision by the Chief Constable before he leaves office. Let us be blunt about it; I cannot see any other reason for making such a decision just before he leaves office, especially given the history of the police and the full-time Reserve in the Province. We have heard of the commitment and the sacrifice that was given. Member after Member has spoken of the more than 100 members who lost their lives in the conflict. I would have thought that at least the current Chief Constable would have some respect for that organisation, but no. He has driven a knife straight through it. That is a very sad situation."