Six symbols which reflect both nationalist and unionist identities have been chosen by Northern Ireland's Policing Board as the design for a badge which will be worn by the new Police Service of Northern Ireland.
The highly sensitive emblem will feature a crown, a harp and a shamrock - symbols which, according to the Policing Board, reflect "diversity, inclusiveness and parity". It will also bear the scales of justice, a torch and an olive branch. The cross of St Patrick will form the centrepiece of the design.
The prototype of the new badge had been seen as a potentially contentious issue for the 19 members of the Policing Board, which includes four Ulster Unionists, three Democratic Unionists and three SDLP politicians.
But Mrs Pauline McCabe, chairwoman of the Policing Board sub-committee which was examining the issue, said they had reached a unanimous decision on the emblem following in-depth discussions on a range of designs.
The Policing Board has now passed on its recommendation to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Dr John Reid, for his final approval.
Welcoming the board's decision last night, Dr Reid said that he was pleased that it had been able to reach cross-community consensus on the design.
"I am grateful for the work the board has done and it bodes well for the future of policing in Northern Ireland," he added.
But Sinn FΘin's spokesman on policing, Mr Gerry Kelly, said he believed the SDLP could face questions about its decision to support a badge which featured what he described as "British symbols".
Mr Kelly said that he also believed many people would be astonished that the Policing Board met to discuss the issue of badges at the same time when a damning report had been published by the Police Ombudsman into the RUC's Omagh bomb investigation.
"It is now up to the SDLP to explain why they have agreed to a badge containing the symbol of the British state outside the terms of Patten," Mr Kelly said.
Mr Alex Attwood of the SDLP said the symbols of the new badge were not associated with either the British or Irish states but were a celebration of the "rich diversity" of Northern Ireland.
"It is a confirmation of what a genuine, diverse, yet acceptable-to-all badge can look like," he said. The Ulster Unionist Party last night also praised the work of the Police Board in securing the agreement on a new badge for the police service.
Mr Fred Cobain, an Ulster Unionist Assembly member, said it was a landmark political development.
"The inclusion of the crown on the badge is of enormous significance to the Unionist community and I have no doubt to former and serving police officers."
