The fraught political and security situation in Northern Ireland, made worse by last week's decision by the IRA to withdraw its offer to "verifiably" decommission its weapons, has made progress on policing reform extraordinarily slow.
It has taken two years for the Patten report recommendations to reach the stage of "updated implementation plan". It will take at least another year before most of the measures are put in place, although some could begin by Tuesday if political assent is given.
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Dr John Reid, announcing yesterday's "update" plan, appealed for everyone to support the policing reforms. He was at his most emphatic in asking that no violence be directed at any member of the new force.
Clearly referring to republican terrorist organisations, he said that all groups should "absolutely and unequivocally" not put pressure on anyone who sought to join the new force.
It is seen as critical that young people from nationalist areas should be unhindered by Sinn Fein, the IRA or their supporters if they wish to join what will be the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI).
The republican position on this is not yet clear. Sinn Fein has rejected the implementation plan even though it contains a substantial amount of the original Patten report. The plan has also replaced some of the items on symbols and police accountability that were removed at the time of Mr Peter Mandel son's tenure as secretary of state.
If republicans seek to coerce Catholics not to join the PSNI then it will be difficult to provide a proper policing service in Catholic areas. The Catholic community might then fail to enjoy the obvious benefits that should flow from the creation of a new, symbol-free police service with a remarkable array of structures to create closeness with the community and make the force democratically accountable.
The accountability structures flowing from Patten are much greater than anything in the Republic. Where the Garda Siochana has a single organisation, the Garda Complaints Board, Northern Ireland will have an over-arching Policing Board with members elected on a power-sharing or d'Hondt basis. This will have the power to make the Chief Constable explain operational decisions and can, if a majority of members consent, sack him or her.
Each local district council - there are 26 in Northern Ireland - and the four parliamentary constituencies in Belfast will have a District Policing Partnership Board (DPPB). Local councils will be able to raise another 3p on domestic and commercial property rates.
These boards should be representative of local politics, although it seems that Sinn Fein will not participate. They should also have access to the local uniformed superintendent or district commander, who will discuss and explain his policing plans.
As well as this, the North has the Police Ombudsman's office, whose staff of 70 is being increased to deal with the large number of complaints from the public.
The implementation plan emphasises the need for openness. There is a section stating that all "covert" operations by the new force - in other words the actions of the Special Branch in recruiting informants and carrying out surveillance on suspects - will be in compliance with the European Convention on Human Rights.
A commissioner is to be appointed to oversee the use of "covert law enforcement". And, very importantly from a nationalist perspective, the flying of the Union flag from police stations will stop. Pictures of Queen Elizabeth, which are displayed in most stations, will also be removed.
The intimidating architecture of police stations, most of which are effectively fortresses designed to protect their inhabitants from IRA mortar and bomb attacks, will change so long as the security situation continues to improve. The training of new recruits will try to redress the semi-military characteristics of the old RUC.
There will also be fewer police. The current level of 10,770 will fall over the coming years to about 7,500. The reduction in size will mean that it will take years to reach the projected greater representation of Catholics and women.
The report states that intake from now on will be 50-50 Catholic and Protestant. The number of women officers will rise. There are currently 1,540 women officers in the RUC, or about 14 per cent of the force. Catholic representation is lower again, at under 10 per cent.
There will also be formalised relations with the Garda, with an annual conference and written protocols to encourage better policing in Border areas.
The report places significant emphasis on the considerate treatment of police officers who have suffered injury as a result of their work. More than 100, including 77 members of the RUC Reserve, were badly injured during the summer's riots.
The RUC Full-Time Reserve, a group of 2,403 officers who carry out uniformed policing duties, is being phased out within the coming year. The RUC rank-and-file are unhappy about this but appear to be accepting it without serious protest.