The following is the SDLP's summary of its document responding to proposals for a new police service
Ever since 1920, policing has been at the very heart of the political fault line in our society. No issue has been more difficult, more divisive and more controversial in the history of the north of Ireland.
The Good Friday agreement offered us the chance to break with this bitter legacy of the past. It promised "a new beginning in policing in Northern Ireland with a police service capable of sustaining support from the community as a whole."
The SDLP has always been determined to realise this new beginning to policing, and to play our part in its creation. We made detailed submissions to the Patten Commission. When its report was published, we welcomed it - recognising in it many of the recommendations for policing change that we had advocated.
However, we were deeply disappointed by the Police Bill published by the previous Secretary of State. It failed to implement many crucial Patten recommendations and critically weakened the basis for the promised new beginning to policing. That is why - when others sat on the sidelines - we campaigned at Westminster, in Washington, in Dublin and throughout the North, to ensure the full implementation of the Patten report and to bring about radical policing change.
That campaign has borne fruit. On the floor of the House of Commons, we proposed over 100 amendments to the Police Bill. In response, the British government was obliged to revise the Bill substantially.
However, significant problems remained and, as a result, the SDLP was unable to endorse the plans for a new police service devised by the then Secretary of State, Peter Mandelson MP.
Through long negotiations this year and last - at Downing Street, Hillsborough, Weston Park and elsewhere - we continued to argue for far-reaching change. With the publication of the joint proposals of the two governments on August 1st, and the subsequent publication of the radically-revised implementation plan, we believe that we have now achieved this.
This document sets out all of the changes made to policing arrangements agreed to by the British government since it published the Police Bill in May 2000. It substantiates the judgment of the Irish Government - which we share - that what is now on offer can "comprehensively deliver the spirit and substance of the Patten report".
The following gains are particularly important:
assurance on the implementation of the Patten recommendations on name, flag and badge;
an enhanced role for the Oversight Commissioner who will recommend changes to the current policing legislation;
commitment by the British government to amend the current policing legislation to deal with key SDLP concerns;
radical strengthening of the powers of inquiry of the Policing Board;
an enhanced role for the Policing Board - which will enjoy powers formerly resting with the Chief Constable and the Secretary of State;
new powers for the Police Ombudsman to access documents and investigate police policies and practices;
commitment to secondment of gardai to new police service;
strengthened commitment to human rights;
greater focus on community policing;
phasing out of Full-Time Reserve; and
expansion of the Part-Time Reserve ahead of Patten's schedule.
In all, the SDLP has identified 94 important gains since the Police Bill was published in May 2000. In view of these changes, we believe that the time is now right for us to play our part in delivering policing change. We therefore intend to participate in the new Policing Board and District Policing Partnerships. We also intend to encourage nationalists, particularly the young, to join the new police service in order to help make and shape a new service acceptable to all. We believe that this will benefit not only the nationalist community, but all in the community. For it is only through a police service that is accepted by all that we can enjoy true security and peace of mind.
In arriving at our judgment on this matter, we are also conscious of the rising criminality in our community. Joy-riding, racketeering, drug-dealing, intimidation, punishment beatings and sectarian attacks all pose a real threat to our future.
We believe that such threats are best addressed through participating in a new acceptable police service. We are also mindful that key decisions on policing are imminent - for example on training, Special Branch and human rights. It is important for the SDLP to participate to maximise the impetus for change. On the Policing Board we will also be in a better position to get answers and help ensure accountability.
Also, we will be able to campaign more effectively for a prohibition on plastic bullets. Patten did not recommend a ban on plastic bullets - instead, he recommended a research programme to find alternatives. On the board, we will have full access to the research, which will help us to make the case for prohibition of these weapons.
A gulf of distrust exists between the nationalist community and the current police. Realising a new beginning to policing will therefore be no easy task. However, a determined start must be made.
Mindful of the support of the Irish Government and others for the new policing arrangements, today we are willing to play our part. And we encourage others to play theirs.
The full text of this document is available at ireland.com