Our insistence that we are not sectarian has been ignored because of one claim against us, say former PSNI officers
A group of former police officers have reiterated their rejection of allegations of sectarianism in their unit.
The 43 retired officers have written the latest in a series of letters in reaction to an interview with one of the PSNI’s first Catholic recruits who said that he had quit over the abuse that he experienced (click here to read the letter).
The former officer retired from the PSNI last year on medical grounds aged in his 40s, but now says he regretted ever joining the police.
In the newspaper interview in March, the officer who was described as ‘Sean’, to protect his identity, which the paper verified, said: “For instance, Ash Wednesday. I remember coming in with ashes on my head and the boys muttering under their breath saying ‘who the f**k does he think he is coming in with ash on his head?’ It was such a normal thing to me — my faith is important to me; it’s how I was raised.
“I was hearing boys saying ‘Fenian b******s, who do they think they are?’ When certain politicians came on the TV from the green side, they’d be chastised and sworn at. There were boys whistling The Sash going up and down the corridors around the Twelfth.”
After Sean’s interview with the Belfast Telegraph, a group of 39 retired officers wrote to that newspaper, saying: “We are hurt and bewildered at the allegations made by our former colleague and friend, which bear no resemblance to the culture and conduct of our team.”
Now a slightly larger group of ex TSG officers have written to the News Letter, published inside today. They say: “We are disappointed that despite the significant media coverage given to the unsubstantiated allegations made by Sean, there has been far less coverage in the media given to our rebuttals.”
And they say they will give sworn evidence in any legal case.
The retired officers write: “We note that the chief constable and his deputy have offered to meet Sean. We trust they will promptly agree to meeting us.”
They also say: “We note the chief constable said at the Policing Board on April 3 that he is neutral in respect of this allegation. Whilst all complaints must be received and investigated with an open mind to prove or disprove them, adopting a position of neutrality in this case is unfair.”