Winding down of full-time Reserve is premature, says UUP Police Board Member
UUP Police Board Member Basil McCrea has described as premature moves to wind down the numbers in the Full-Time Reserve. The plans, unveiled today by the Chief Constable, involve cutting numbers from 680 to 381 starting in April next year, followed by the remainder gradually by March 2011.
The Lagan Valley MLA did say however that the packages on offer appeared at first glance to be generous and the manner of the winding down, if it must happen, was sensible.
In a statement Mr McCrea said,
“I feel this move is premature given the not insignificant threat still posed by dissident elements. Public order problems may also still arise although the relatively peaceful parading season this year has been encouraging. The public are however crying out for more policemen and women on the streets as incidents of anti-social behaviour, and ‘normal’ crimes, if such a term exists, are on the increase. To me the PSNI should be reassuring people that this downgrading and eventual ending of the full-time reserve makes sense. To me, in the current circumstances it does not.
However, at first glance the packages on offer do appear to be generous and the manner in which the reserve is being wound down, if it must indeed happen, is sensible and sensitive to the membership of the reserve.
I and my Party will be studying the detail of this proposal before giving a fuller response.”