The Royal Ulster Constabulary is the police force in Northern Ireland. As a result of the
Good Friday Agreement, Chris Patten and the Independant Commission for Policing drew up a report
outlining recommended reform of the police service, which is not accepted by nationalists in the North
and is over 90% Protestant. The main reforms called for are:
- Name to be changed to the Police
Service of Northern Ireland
- Police officers will take human rights
training, accept a new police oath
and follow a new code of ethics
- Force to be cut to 7,500 full time
officers - the drop in numbers is to
be dependent on the state of the
peace process
- Full time police reservists will be
abolished
- "Generous and sympathetic"
severence payments for those who
leave the force
- New police board to replace the old
police authority - the board will hold
the chief constable and the police to
account
- New district policing partnership
boards
- Policing to be re-organised into
district commands based on district
council areas
- 50-50 recruitment from Catholic and
Protestant communities - under a
three-yearly review
- No change in uniform colour
- New police college to be set up
- No ex-terrorists will be allowed to
join the force