By Jamie Bryson
The PSNI report is an extraordinary effort to take two tier policing to a new level. This report puts into writing the core ethos of the PSNI, which is plainly- as an overriding objective- to secure, and maintain, the support of the nationalist community.
In this context, as a collateral purpose the PSNI must by necessity also play their part in ensuring the ‘process’ trundles towards its pre-determined end goal and thus they are more than happy to move along towards the key staging post of all-Ireland policing.
The PSNI want to hide from public view memorials to the RUC; at this stage we are one step away from memorials in PSNI stations to the same IRA terrorists who murdered RUC officers.
So too will we be subjected to Irish signage- for political purposes- outside PSNI stations. Naturally, this demand will then spread- because nationalist demands are never satisfied- so prepare for the ‘greening’ of all PSNI stations across Northern Ireland.
Incredibly the PSNI, in writing, admit to how operational policing is infected with political concerns; or rather should I say nationalist concerns. Vehicle Check Points (‘VCPs’) must now be mindful of “legacy associations”.
There will be many in the loyalist community who will wonder where the PSNI consideration is for the feelings within our community after two decades of harassment and persecution by the PSNI (which has increased in intensity in recent years).
Nationalism gets a Task Force to pander to their political needs; loyalism get the ‘Paramilitary Crime Task Force’ which can’t even utter the word IRA. Again, this follows the ethos of the ‘process’; nationalism must be feted with political concessions whilst the PUL community must be demoralised and criminalised. The PSNI are more than happy to adopt that ethos.
However, this report goes beyond the usual PSNI bias. It dwarfs two tier policing. Now the PSNI go so far as to seek to implement all-Ireland ‘joint policing’. Just who does this Chief Constable think he is?
It is of course trite to point out that the PSNI’s request for the Department of Justice of find an agreement on this matter (all-Ireland policing) is doomed to fail. Such an approach would clearly be significant and controversial therefore triggering s28A of the NI Act 1998 and as such Unionism could block any such efforts at the Executive.
So infected has Mr Byrne become with the overriding objective of pandering to nationalism, that he has lost all grip on reality. He has simply become a stooge for nationalism, and Sinn Fein in particular.
This report was to be carefully massaged into the public domain, based on a comprehensive PR plan. Unfortunately for the PSNI, not everyone within their ranks was happy to go along with trying to manipulate public opinion; despite the best efforts of the BBC newsroom and BBC TalkBack to retrospectively seek to remedy the situation after the truly appalling nature of this document had been exposed on Nolan.
I hope we hear Mr Bryne or senior management of the PSNI on Nolan tomorrow facing hard questions. An interview with the BBC Home Affairs correspondent or BBC TalkBack is hardly challenging, and is more akin to a platform to spin the PSNI’s latest (usually pro-nationalist) propaganda.
We are forever saturated with the latest nationalist demand or whim, because everything in Northern Ireland flows from the ‘process’, and the ‘process’ is an entirely nationalist construct which resolves itself to one core proposition: unionism must give, and nationalism must get.
The PSNI are completely tone deaf to the concerns of the PUL community, and anytime it is raised publicly with them, they simply brush it off. And why is anyone surprised? The PSNI’s sole objective is to secure, and maintain, nationalist support. In that regard, they are discharging their duty faithfully.
It is quite clear however the status quo cannot continue; the two tier policing, political agenda and inherent bias within the PSNI is no longer covert. It is almost as if they have become emboldened to overtly pursue and implement nationalism’s agenda for policing.
That is a dangerous strategy; the whole basis of the Belfast Agreement- iniquitous as it was and is- is nevertheless cross community consent for key Government bodies. The PSNI has little or no support within grassroots PUL communities, and in fact some of the most disdainful comments towards the PSNI can be found amongst former officers who served gallantly within the RUC, only to now find their service and the memory of murdered colleagues sacrificed on the altar of placating nationalism and republicanism.
It is time the PSNI engaged- publicly- with the PUL community and answered hard questions. They must confront the consequences of their actions.
This website is open for any senior PSNI officer who wants to write an article- which will be published as provided- setting out their position and addressing the criticisms of the PSNI.
Policing is quick to bend over backwards every time nationalism has a concern. It is about time they show the same concern for the PUL community.