PSNI recriutment

[Truth hurts]

19 years ago the GAA abolished rule 21 with Down GAA at the forefront of this. The PSNI are not having a recruitment drive and what i want to ask posters from the six counties, how would you club react to a senior footballer joining the PSNI? Young cops are still forced to move away which is a shame

[illdecide]

Not for the GAA section...General discussion?

[Truth hurts]

Its about GAA clubs and there attitude towards PSNI?

[GetOverTheBar]

Personally wouldn't bother me if one of my team mates joined the PSNI. Would be a great career for someone I suppose - life is tough enough and they would get enough headache from all sorts without a teammate adding to something that's really none of their business anyway.

[Truth hurts]

I get the "personally" bit but would GAA clubs really get behind them?

[GetOverTheBar]

I get the "personally" bit but would GAA clubs really get behind them?

Who knows, it's still a tricky subject. In my own club the old PSNI/RUC were involved in the killing of club members - Do I think our club would be keen to give approval? No.

I'd hazard a guess you'd be lucky to get any kind of popular support in Tyrone/Armagh/Derry or Antrim.

But the GAA has to move on, as do we all. I just don't think it's going to be in this generation.

[TheOptimist]

I get the "personally" bit but would GAA clubs really get behind them?

The trouble unfortunately with getting behind someone is that you are putting them out there, for want of a better term, whereas due to a very small minority in the community it is safest for that person to keep their head down. If I were to join (I'm not) I certainly wouldn't want it broadcast.

[BennyCake]

I think the recent RIC thing has shown that people's memories are long.

Also, when the PSNI pose for photos in Crossmaglen  with machine guns, that hardly helps the whole situation.

Clubs can say all the right things, but someone may have a problem with a club member joining them, and shout abuse or attack him/her... but the club can't be responsible for every single one of their members, or indeed those locals who aren't members.

The local church, school, club, scouts, pensioners club, choir etc could say all the right things, but it only takes one person to say or do something. That doesn't mean that all those associations/clubs havent done enough, it's just that one person has a problem. It also doesn't mean the whole community have a problem with it.

[Truth hurts]

I don't have a problem with anyone with the PSNI but its not a career that i would want my son to take up if you know what i mean. I know that the clubs in Down who voted for the abolition came in for a lot of abuse and would still get jibes about it. Ulster GAA is seen as being very proactice with PSNI but on ground level I do not think this happens. In the south everyone knows a guard from their village, I can honestly say that i do not know any police officer !

[Fear Bun Na Sceilpe]

19 years ago the GAA abolished rule 21 with Down GAA at the forefront of this. The PSNI are not having a recruitment drive and what i want to ask posters from the six counties, how would you club react to a senior footballer joining the PSNI? Young cops are still forced to move away which is a shame

Personally it would not worry me, but quiet a few in our club would struggle with it. Put it this way he would be transferring to another club away from Derry City for safety. There have been 3 pipe bomb attacks on catholic officers within a mile of our pitch

[red hander]

PSNI still run at a senior level by RUC clique.

[naka]

psni/ruc is probably similiar to the issues surrounding the civil war in the south in the decades thereafter.
for what its worth it probably will take another passage of time before the nationalist population are entirely comfortable with the psni.
for myself i wouldn`t want my son or daughter joining up but that`s probably because i am in my 50s and remember the troubles etc  whilst still hankering for the united ireland.
time is a healer so hopefully my children`s children will have a different view.

[Taylor]

I get the "personally" bit but would GAA clubs really get behind them?

What professions do clubs "get behind"? I've been sitting on the club committee for a good few years and don't think a players occupation has ever been discussed.

+1

[theticklemister]

Through advertisements, the GAA have fully endorsed this British police force. Make no bones about it or have any qualms; the GAA are in favour if this.

[Rossfan]

What part of Britain are they policing?