Ross Hussey: Northern Ireland secretaries fail to counter all the republicans lies about the RUC when, in fact, they should be defending the reputation of this proud police force

The republican movement has spread lies, damned lies and further lies, in contradiction of the actual statistics, about the Royal Ulster Constabulary – a force which suffered over 300 officers murdered at the hands of terrorists and thousands of lifelong physical and psychological injuries.

I feel that the press often regularly 'jumps on the band wagon' when it comes to criticism of police men and women. Recently on Talkback on BBC Radio Ulster a journalist made reference to the uniform worn by officers in parts of Londonderry. What does she expect them to wear, 'Hawaii shirts'? The officers have to carry firearms and at times long arms to protect themselves from dissident terrorists who still target police.

Why won't Roman Catholics join the PSNI? Intimidation in some areas is clearly a reason. Parents who remember how RC members of the RUC and indeed RIC were intimidated clearly worry for their children and would discourage them from joining. Many join constabularies in Great Britain and the Garda Siochana.

Republicans do not want a British police service in Northern Ireland enforcing British laws. Who is defending the reputation of the RUC? Is the secretary of state Hilary Benn? How many murders of RUC officers remain unsolved?

Amid all the allegations of collusion, there is some collusion you never hear about. Clearly some officers' movements were watched and reported back to terror bosses. These individuals colluded with IRA whether they acknowledge it or not. They may not have pulled the trigger but they 'looked the other way' when these terror acts were committed. How many others were pressurised into silence when they knew their neighbours were active in terrorist atrocities? Some such people are still living with the knowledge that their support and perhaps silence led to murder and devastation.

PIRA terrorised this country for over 30 years and after the 1998 agreement did not decommission. I am convinced that this gave some IRA quarter masters an opportunity to 'salt away' explosives and firearms as Sinn Fein and their terrorist bed fellows in PIRA did not hand in a 'stock list' of their arsenal. Some in SF, like Martin McGuinness, sat on the army council and have known who these quarter masters were.

We hear calls for the authorities to release files. I now repeat a call I made as an active politician, for Sinn Fein to identify the quarter masters and release details of what was not decommissioned.

I also call on the police to issue details of every gun recovered since 1998 with its history where it can be linked to the PIRA. I asked many times, when I was a member of the Policing Board, for the history of weapons seized by police found after murders etc and the constant excuse was an 'ongoing legal case'. Let us see how honest Sinn Fein/IRA were in surrendering their guns.

Let us remember the gory details of RUC officers murdered coming from church, socialising, travelling with their wife/husband, at home, or serving the community. There were no opportunities to surrender as the SAS were supposed to give the terrorists at Clonoe.

Republicans make sanctimonious comments about their companions who went out at night to terrorise the community. The police, whether regular or reserve, were out trying to defend the community. They have been hung out to dry by successive UK governments and secretaries of state and attacked by nationalist politicians. I was proud to wear the uniform of the RUC, as a part-time reserve constable. I did a job that needed to be done, as did my colleagues. Aged 19 I saw the body of a colleague murdered by thugs - that vision has remained with me for nearly 50 years.

I call not just on unionist politicians but those that regard themselves as democrats to get off the fence and fight back. Statistics prove who was responsible for the vast majority of murders in NI. It certainly was not the Royal Ulster Constabulary GC.

Ross M Hussey

Ex-UUP MLA, West Tyrone