Naomi Long speaks out against ‘trashing reputation of RUC’

The Alliance leader was speaking on the floor of the Stormont Assembly today, as she was quizzed over the issue of unionist faith in the PSNI.

Another MLA to speak up was Trevor Clarke of the DUP, who hit back at Dolores Kelly’s claim that the RUC was systematically sectarian.

Addressing Mrs Long, he told the chamber: “I note that the minister did not touch on the comments from one of the Policing Board members – one of the people whom she appointed [namely Dolores Kelly] – who referred to the RUC as a sectarian force.

“That member talks about 50:50 recruitment at every opportunity.

“However, none of the individuals from the nationalist side seems to go out and openly encourage nationalists to join the police.

“Does the minister think that that member’s comments about the RUC, which is now obviously the PSNI, were helpful or built confidence in the unionist community?”

Mrs Long responded by saying all parties have at different times voiced support for PSNI recruitment.

She stressed that she wants to take “politics out of policing”.

She added: “Frankly, it is not acceptable for anyone in the house, from any perspective, to undermine respect for policing ...

“It is important that, at the new start that we had for policing, we did not trash the reputation of what went before.

“Many honourable people served in the RUC, and many of them gave their lives in the service of this community.

“Their families have suffered a great deal. It was clear from the Patten report that there was no intention to undermine that record of service.

“The report provided a fresh start for policing, that would allow the entire community to buy into policing ... 20 years on, that should still be our ambition.”

According to the CAIN database of Troubles deaths, 301 RUC officers were killed from 1969 to 2001 (as were nine gardai).

Twenty-six of the murdered RUC officers were Catholics.

By contrast the RUC killed 55 people.

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