Ross Hussey: The authors of the South Armagh policing report have clearly not had to patrol in a hostile environment

There is no doubt that Crossmaglen police station is not the sort of police station one would expect to find in a rural location anywhere in the United Kingdom or the Republic of Ireland but when one considers the historical context of the ‘barracks’ and the horrendous attacks that were launched against it this was the only suitable solution to safeguard the officers who policed the area.

When one looks back to the early 1960s the station would have been the standard RUC station with an adjoining house for the Sergeant and his family.

Perhaps consideration should be given for the barracks complex to be donated to the Ulster Folk museum in Cultra and transferred brick by brick so that future generations will see the conditions in which police officers and soldiers had to live in rural South Armagh and other areas where the police station was a target for terrorists and many police officers and soldiers gave their lives I believe the figure for South Armagh was 58 police officers and 124 soldiers murdered by the Provisional IRA.

Looking further into the report I note that recommendations include the removal of assault rifles from police officers whilst on routine patrol.

Clearly the authors of the report have never had to patrol in a hostile environment where terrorists used long range assault rifles to murder police officers.

Why would you possibly consider removal of firepower from police officers when a terrorist threat still exists?

Will the next recommendation be removal of personal firearms as was a suggestion in the early 70s which had to be quickly rescinded?

As long as a terrorist threat exists it is the duty of the NI Policing Board and the chief constable to provide for the health and safety of their officers.

I certainly would never agree to a plan which sees the reality of a terrorist threat whitewashed over by removal of longarms.

Then we come to the sensitive issue of the ‘removal of memorials’.

Can I remind the Policing Board and the chief constable that the Police Service of Northern Ireland incorporates the Royal Ulster Constabulary and I as someone who had the honour to serve in the Royal Ulster Constabulary would regard any attempt to remove, replace or hide memorials from public view as extremely offensive and an insult to the 300 officers who courageously gave their lives in serving the community.

It is entirely wrong to state ‘memorials commemorating the past have a profound impact on the police culture of today’.

Will a similar report soon suggest that the RUCGC Garden of Remembrance be removed from PSNI Headquarters, how would the Metropolitan Police react if memorials to fallen officers were removed or colleagues in An Garda Siochana if memorials to their fallen comrades be removed or hidden?

Police officers who gave their lives in the service of this country deserve to be commemorated and honoured with all the dignity that we can muster.

The police culture of today is the same as the police culture of yesterday, service to the community is at the forefront of any police officers role.

These officers who were shot, blown up, murdered when clearing streets during bomb scares which turned out to be the real thing went beyond ‘the extra mile’ that courage and sacrifice and courage was recognised by the corporate award of the George Cross.

The chief constable was weak and did the police no service when he bowed down to republican and nationalist pressure and accepted criticism of officers carrying high powered rifles when he was photographed with officers at Crossmaglen.

He should have said ‘what do you expect them to carry?

Bows and arrows?

The officers carry the weaponry which is best designed to protect them from terrorist attack.

If terrorist action ends there will be no need for such weaponry but ‘they haven’t gone away you know’! But no he gave in and allowed his PR man free reign to criticise his men.

Who will cover the cost for these Irish signs in PSNI stations? is there a need for such signage? Even in rural South Armagh people speak English, they understand English, and apart from a political gesture what will this achieve?

I do not understand a word of Irish, but if I came across a disabled symbol, toilet symbol, fire alarm, exit or entrance symbol I will comprehend what it means.

Anyone who thinks they will whitewash away the brave and courageous service of the Royal Ulster Constabulary GC should be told in no uncertain terms this will not happen and even this chief constable who is effectively the ‘keeper’ of the title deed of the PSNI should read it and not forget or dare overlook the service of those who have gone before.

• Ross M Hussey is a former Ulster Unionist MLA and RUC reserve constable, and former member of the Policing Board

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