From:  Pat Finucane Centre 14/6/01

Press release...Caution urged in RUC/ PSNI application Statistics

The Derry based Pat Finucane Centre has urged caution in the interpretation of the latest statistics of applications to join the RUC/PSNI. A spokesperson for the centre said, "The Chief Constable was close to euphoric last night in announcing the increase in applications from the Catholic community to join the soon to be formed PSNI. Almost 35% of applications received are from the Catholic community. Before the Chief Constable breaks open the champagne and declares the policing debate over it should be remembered that Catholic applications to join the RUC have consistently been around % since at least 1995.

This is revealed in a parliamentary reply which is enclosed below. Even at the height of the Drumcree crisis in 1996 when relationships between the Catholic community and the RUC were at an all time low there were 775 Catholics prepared to apply to join the RUC.(Regular as opposed to Reserve) Only a fool would have interpreted such percentages as evidence of a normalisation of relationships. In any case the current envisaged level of actual recruitment as opposed to applications should give cause for concern.

At the current level of 50/50 recruitment with approximately 130 Catholics recruited each year it will take in excess of 20  years for Catholic membership of policing structures to equal the Catholic percentage of the population. If the many outstanding problems regarding policing this society are to be worked out the next problem will be to create actual vacancies to speed up the levelling process. An immediate solution would be the abolition of Special Branch, the 'Force within a Force', currently facing serious allegations in relation to the murder of Pat Finucane and others.
 
 

8 May 01 : Column: 43W Hansard House of Commons reply by Adam Ingram MP to Roy Beggs MP

Key

CB1--Perceived Protestant

CB2--Perceived Roman Catholic

CB3--Others/Undetermined

Applications/acceptances to RUC from 1995-98 by gender and community background

Regulars--Applications

CB1
CB2
CB3

M
F
T
M
F
T
M
F
T
Total

Comp C 1995
838
611
1,449
296
171
467
113
29
142
2,058

Comp D 1995
1,113
661
1,774
269
169
438
158
30
188
2,400

Comp E 1996
983
588
1,571
236
133
369
129
26
155
2,095

Comp F 1996
1,312
741
2,054
261
145
406
242
27
269
2,729

Comp G 1997
1,368
804
2,172
253
159
412
188
25
213
2,797

Comp H 1998
1,332
802
2,134
270
161
431
228
32
260
2,825

Comp I 1998
1,414
898
2,312
470
280
750
246
51
297
3,359

8 May 01 : Column: 43W

Regulars--Acceptances
CB1
CB2
CB3
Percentage
M
F
M
F
T
M
F
T
Total
of total applications

Comp C 1995
84
14
98
18
2
8
1
9
127
6.2

Comp D 1995
124
14
138
4
24
15
0
15
177
7.4

Comp E 1996
103
22
125
10
3
13
5
0
5
143
6.8

Comp F 1996
75
19
94

13
1
14
14
0
14
122
4.5

Comp G 1997
79
17
96
13
2
15
9
0
9
1
4.3

Comp H 1998
80
45
125
9
3
12
7
0
7
144
5.1

Comp I 1998
72
38
110
9
9
18
4
1
5
133
4.0

8 May 01 : Column: 43W

Full-time reserves--Applications
CB1
CB2
CB3

M
F
T
M
F
T
M
F
T
Total

Comp B 1995
635
407
1,042
167
115
282
105
25
130
1,454

Comp C 1996
654
421
1,075
154
101
255
90
11
101
1,431

Comp D 1997
753
402
1,155
109
75
184
113
22
135
1,474

Comp E 1997
376
236
612
60
46
106
43
12
55
773

Comp F 1997
709
423
1,132
119
78
197
104
24
128
1,457

8 May 01 : Column: 43W

8 May 01 : Column: 45W

Full-time--Acceptances
CB1
CB2
CB3
Percentage
M
F
T
M
F
T
M
F
T
Total
of total applications

Comp B 1996
12
7
19
4
0
4
2
1
3
26
1.8

Comp C 1996
66
63
129
14
10
24
7
1
8
161
11.3

Comp D 1997
19
5
24
0
0
0
3
2
5
29
2.0

Comp E 1997
25
4
29
2
1
3
3
0
3
35
4.5

Comp F 1997
31
19
50
3
2
5
3
0
3
58
4.0