24th January 2003

---

Recruitment Plan Circumvents Patten

Commenting on this morning's announcement that the PSNI is to begin recruiting to the part time reserve Sinn Fein spokesperson on Policing Gerry Kelly said:

" The announcement this morning that recruitment to the part time reserve is to begin in unionist areas makes an already bad policing situation worse.

" Patten's intention was that the part time reserve would be used as a mechanism to recruit nationalists into a force which is currently unionist dominated. The announcement this morning is an attempt to circumvent Patten.

" The fact that the pilot schemes are in unionist areas (Coleraine, Banbridge, Lisburn and Newtownabby) is proof that the PSNI do not enjoy the support of the nationalist community. The reason for this is clear - the British government have failed to deliver Patten.

" The urgent task for all of us is to get policing right. The British government know what is required to bring policing into line with the promise of the Good Friday Agreement. Sinn Fein will continue to engage with both governments on this issue and continue to demand that the Patten threshold is met." ENDS

---

Sinn Fein Press Office, 44 Parnell Square, Dublin 1
Tel: +353-1-8726100 and +353-1-8726839   ·   Fax +353-1-8733074
E-mail: sinnfein@irlnet.com   ·   Website: http://www.sinnfein.org

---

Sinn Fein   ·   Sinn Fein Documents

---