South Armagh policing: ‘Untenable’ that Catholics who join PSNI have to leave home areas, says Police Federation

Mark Lindsay MBE, Chair of the Police Federation for NI was speaking after Sinn Fein strongly backed new PSNI recommendations to reform policing in south Armagh.

Sinn Fein said it was necessary to remove “the negative, militaristic style of the past which has damaged community relations” and that the PSNI report on the matter “must lead to a new beginning for policing in this area to rebuild the trust and confidence of the local community”.

Sinn Féin’s attendance at a police recruitment campaign launch last year was described by the Chief Constable as “seismic and historic”. In 2007, the party backed policing but it had not attended passing out parades for new recruits.

However PFNI Chair Mr Lindsay said yesterday that it is now crucial for politicians to play their part publicly affirming the PSNI as a career choice for young Catholics - and to deter those who would intimidate them.

“There needs to be clear unequivocal support for policing politically from within those [nationalist] communities and to isolate those who would threaten or deter those who join,” he told the News Letter. “It is untenable for every officer who joins from a predominantly nationalist area to have to move home, lose their circle of friends or give up their recreational activity.”

“That is a price that unsurprisingly proves too high for many would-be student officers but without unequivocal public support by all political parties this will always be a struggle.

“There is only so much the PSNI can do to encourage Catholic officers to join and we now need political figures to step up and openly support those who would aspire to join this honourable profession. That includes attending attestation ceremonies and openly promoting policing as an honourable public service.”

He added: “Policing requires people from right across our community to join the PSNI and serve all sections of society. Underrepresentation of Catholics in the Service has been well documented and is something I would love to see addressed in a meaningful manner.

“To do this effectively though, there needs to be genuine and proactive political and community support from within these communities. What appears as half hearted support on one hand does not sit alongside constant vilification of policing and its representatives. Such mixed messaging does not encourage people to join the police in the numbers we would all hope for.”

Former Policing Board Vice Chairman Denis Bradley has gone on record to say that Catholics who join the PSNI often have to move out of their own areas due to security threats.

Sinn Fein was invited to comment.

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