Grassroots:Sinn Féin members and supporters accept that significant change to the long-held view on policing appears inevitable. But some cautioned that the leadership had to engage closely with grassroots supporters.
Máirtín Ó Muilleoir, a former Sinn Féin councillor and now a newspaper publisher in Belfast, said he was "delighted to see Sinn Féin engage the contentious issue".
He referred to the findings of a "vox pop" of people in and around west Belfast compiled for the Andersonstown News which, he said, had revealed little popular acclaim for the PSNI despite five years of the new policing dispensation and new forms of accountability.
"I was surprised, and I know that some people who are trying to move this issue forward were taken aback that no-one had any warm words at all for the PSNI. After so many years of sophisticated propaganda and PR and with things changing and so on Most people are lukewarm about Sinn Féin getting involved in this and some are very opposed."
He cited the opinions of a range of people who gave their opinions to his newspaper.
They included Theresa, from the Glen Road, who said: "I don't think it's right for Sinn Féin to jump on the bandwagon of policing now. They've held out for so long and suddenly it's like they're giving in to Paisley's mob."
However Michael, from Lenadoon, differed: "One side has to relent at some stage and maybe it'll help push things forward. No-one wants a return to how it was. I think we should just go ahead and do it." Gerard, from Andersonstown, concurred: "I agree with it, but only as long as Gerry Adams gets what he's looking for - which is accountability. The only way to beat them is to join them - annoy them from the inside."
Francie Brolly, from south Co Derry, was confident that republican opinion in his area would row in behind the Sinn Féin leadership. He further believed that stated levels of opposition to any move to back the new dispensation were exaggerated.
"We need policemen," he said. "But the policing thing can only happen when Stormont happens." Referring to the reported high levels of concern about the party's latest move, he added: "I think it's overstated by a long, long way." He forecast that people locally would work with the police "if they are happy that these policemen are not the RUC, [ and] that they are accountable".