Joe Brolly

[OgraAnDun]

If SF truly believed in having a community police force then it would be encouraging and championing the recruitment of young Catholics but it doesn't, simply paying lip service to PSNI support while sitting on the Policing Boards.  Just another Adams' strategy to maintain community agitation and strife.

That's not the full story though and you know it.

Policing doesn't start or stop at community policing. There are no complaints about police dealing with shoplifting or drink driving.
If your issue is with SF then you only only fighting a small part of the problem. This problem has many players including SF.

Who are they?  Why does SF not go all out to ensure that Catholics would feel comfortable in a career in community policing?

That's not their job. Recruitment is the PSNIs job.  If they are piss poor at it then its hardly SFs fault.  SF were to say it is ok to join, sit on boards, encourage referring of crimes to police, condemn attacks etc etc etc  - and that's what they do.  Its not their job (or any other partys) to hold recruitment fairs, advertise, cajole or push people into it.  Its not the GAAs either.  If PSNI need recruits from nationalist backgrounds then its their job to recruit them. Actions, words, community involvement etc are all needed by the PSNI.     I have never seen them engage with my club, businesses, community groups. Not once. They are not interested.   The local unionist politician to creggan couldn't even get the spelling of their name right.  The PSNI have no interest in the GAA, Unionists have no interest in the GAA.  The GAA is a collection of people from the parish therefore the PSNI needs to engage with all elements in the parish eg schools, community clubs, GAA, local businesses, youth groups etc etc.  The sudden focus on GAA is just a reaction to the article.   

I am not saying that SF should recruit for the PSNI but we have yet to see any genuine and unequivocal statement from SF to encourage young people to join the community police force as a career and a statement to their supporters that the community and community workers should engage with the community police for the benefit of all.

PSNI do a very good job in engaging with the community in schools, colleges, youth groups and community events but they do rely on invitations to get involved and replies to their offers to become involved in schools, youth groups, etc.  Given the considerable antagonism, resentment and fear I have witnessed in some of those involved in these organisations when the PSNI have made offers to become involved or to offer services then it is not surprising that people don't see the PSNI involved in their local areas and organisations.  Just look at the storm recently created by SF with regard to a tweet from a school regarding information given by a visiting PSNI officer. Is it any wonder that leaders in schools and youth organisations have become wary about involving PSNI in providing key services to their organisations?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-37998496

Imagine that, nationalists were angry that the PSNI were advertising for a branch of the British armed forces. Do you expect SF to start advertising for them too?

[vallankumous]

If I knew who they were I wouldn't be asking you to name them.

It will only open another debate we won't agree on. I'll pass.

SF joined the Police Boards and supported policing as a consequence of the St Andrew's agreement as the only way that the DUP would partner them in an Executive and allow them into government.

yes, I agree it was that also.

What does this mean?

Regardless of any truth in it or not - If i joined the PSNI I would have a fear of leaving myself open to manipulation from ranks higher than community police and not exclusive to the police.
No matter how much SF preached the opposite it wouldn't change that fear.

This is a legacy issue, not a community police issue. It must be viewed in context with the legacy we inherit. I am a product of that legacy. Some people see today or yesterday as a starting point. I don't, I see it as a line going back decades. SF cannot change how I see it.
I would not attempt to prevent anyone joining the PSNI. I would not encourage anyone to join. I do not believe nationalists joinging the PSNI will serve to address the problems of the past. And as these problem have not been addressed they are now the problems of the present and will be the problems of the future. The only way nationalists will join in big numbers is if this is addressed or enough time passes that they are no longer an issue. Neither of those has happened yet.
I know there are many that share that opinion with me. Disagreeing with me is fine but saying my fears aren't real as part of that argument means nothing to me.

[tonto1888]

If SF truly believed in having a community police force then it would be encouraging and championing the recruitment of young Catholics but it doesn't, simply paying lip service to PSNI support while sitting on the Policing Boards.  Just another Adams' strategy to maintain community agitation and strife.

That's not the full story though and you know it.

Policing doesn't start or stop at community policing. There are no complaints about police dealing with shoplifting or drink driving.
If your issue is with SF then you only only fighting a small part of the problem. This problem has many players including SF.

Who are they?  Why does SF not go all out to ensure that Catholics would feel comfortable in a career in community policing?

That's not their job. Recruitment is the PSNIs job.  If they are piss poor at it then its hardly SFs fault.  SF were to say it is ok to join, sit on boards, encourage referring of crimes to police, condemn attacks etc etc etc  - and that's what they do.  Its not their job (or any other partys) to hold recruitment fairs, advertise, cajole or push people into it.  Its not the GAAs either.  If PSNI need recruits from nationalist backgrounds then its their job to recruit them. Actions, words, community involvement etc are all needed by the PSNI.     I have never seen them engage with my club, businesses, community groups. Not once. They are not interested.   The local unionist politician to creggan couldn't even get the spelling of their name right.  The PSNI have no interest in the GAA, Unionists have no interest in the GAA.  The GAA is a collection of people from the parish therefore the PSNI needs to engage with all elements in the parish eg schools, community clubs, GAA, local businesses, youth groups etc etc.  The sudden focus on GAA is just a reaction to the article.   

I am not saying that SF should recruit for the PSNI but we have yet to see any genuine and unequivocal statement from SF to encourage young people to join the community police force as a career and a statement to their supporters that the community and community workers should engage with the community police for the benefit of all.

PSNI do a very good job in engaging with the community in schools, colleges, youth groups and community events but they do rely on invitations to get involved and replies to their offers to become involved in schools, youth groups, etc.  Given the considerable antagonism, resentment and fear I have witnessed in some of those involved in these organisations when the PSNI have made offers to become involved or to offer services then it is not surprising that people don't see the PSNI involved in their local areas and organisations.  Just look at the storm recently created by SF with regard to a tweet from a school regarding information given by a visiting PSNI officer. Is it any wonder that leaders in schools and youth organisations have become wary about involving PSNI in providing key services to their organisations?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-37998496

I don't think British Armed forces should be promoted in schools. But, that tweet was misleading if the principal has given an accurate view of what happened

[redhandefender]

Boys stop throwing the Omagh bomb around a stupid GAA forum, leave it at that.

It should never be left.  It is an inconvenient truth for some that the IRA killed and maimed more from the Catholic community than any of the other agents in conflict.  Too many want to 'move on' and forget the 31 dead and hundreds of the forgotten who carry their wounds every day as well as all those others who were killed and maimed by the IRA/UVF/UDA and others under their flags of convenience over 30 years.  Then you have the hypocrisy of SF who want some to 'move on' but want others to have special treatment for their deaths.

Wise up you pri#k, did I say move on or forget. You don't know who is reading this I said stop bandying it about like a political football in an argument on a gaa forum, have a bit of respect

I have the utmost respect for all of those killed and maimed in the conflict and firmly believe that they should never be forgotten or used in some twisted analysis of the conflict to excuse the perpetrators.  It was first raised and used as a political football by your fellow county man Il Bomber Destro, perhaps you would like to take up the issue with him.

I didn't direct it at you you tool until you backed it up with a stupid response

[Owen Brannigan]

Boys stop throwing the Omagh bomb around a stupid GAA forum, leave it at that.

It should never be left.  It is an inconvenient truth for some that the IRA killed and maimed more from the Catholic community than any of the other agents in conflict.  Too many want to 'move on' and forget the 31 dead and hundreds of the forgotten who carry their wounds every day as well as all those others who were killed and maimed by the IRA/UVF/UDA and others under their flags of convenience over 30 years.  Then you have the hypocrisy of SF who want some to 'move on' but want others to have special treatment for their deaths.

Wise up you pri#k, did I say move on or forget. You don't know who is reading this I said stop bandying it about like a political football in an argument on a gaa forum, have a bit of respect

I have the utmost respect for all of those killed and maimed in the conflict and firmly believe that they should never be forgotten or used in some twisted analysis of the conflict to excuse the perpetrators.  It was first raised and used as a political football by your fellow county man Il Bomber Destro, perhaps you would like to take up the issue with him.

I didn't direct it at you you tool until you backed it up with a stupid response

Classy.

[WT4E]

I came in here to ask why Joe Brolly hates Barry McGuigan so much... wish I hadn't its pretty disheartening stuff above! 

[Owen Brannigan]

I came in here to ask why Joe Brolly hates Barry McGuigan so much... wish I hadn't its pretty disheartening stuff above! 

Probably just another one in a fairly long list.

[trueblue1234]

Boys stop throwing the Omagh bomb around a stupid GAA forum, leave it at that.

It should never be left.  It is an inconvenient truth for some that the IRA killed and maimed more from the Catholic community than any of the other agents in conflict.  Too many want to 'move on' and forget the 31 dead and hundreds of the forgotten who carry their wounds every day as well as all those others who were killed and maimed by the IRA/UVF/UDA and others under their flags of convenience over 30 years.  Then you have the hypocrisy of SF who want some to 'move on' but want others to have special treatment for their deaths.

Just out of interest do you agree with people who won't let what the security forces and RUC did go? The people who still condemn the PSNI for their failure to deal with some legacy cases and believe that until they deal with that, that they are a bias police force? Too often these people are told to move on as well (As by some posters on this board). There's hypocrisy on both sides.   

[Milltown Row2]

A vicious circle thats never ending it seems... It's a pity people wont let go, I can imagine seeking justice would be your primary role in life if you have lost a loved one, thats over 3,500 who died over the troubles that families won't let go and i get that, a proper truth commission is the only way.. once through that then people can heal (of sorts)

I didnt realise there was still that much bitterness on here, doesn't take much for it to rise to the surface

[Rossfan]

Still no need to be calling posters names like p***k and tool.

[redhandefender]

Still no need to be calling posters names like p***k and tool.

Oh aye because that's the biggest issue in here! I told him to stop bandying about the Omagh bomb in some republican/psni debate he is having and have a bit of respect.

[Therealdonald]

Who are they?  Why does SF not go all out to ensure that Catholics would feel comfortable in a career in community policing?

You know who they are.

I'm banging my head against a wall here. Your problem with policing is really your problem with SF.
Again with the Community policing. Not that I care what SF do most of the time but they do support community policing. They have no choice as communities need policing. The only reason they joined the board was to break the wall between communities and police. They didn't do nor can they do it, to break the legacy of policing or the culture of political policing.
Can you accept that community policing is not the barrier to feeling safe?

Exactly, SF are not a recruitment agency. PSNI are responsible for that. Milltown mentioned a Truth Commission, it seems a plausible idea but SF can never go for it. That truth commission should only be for those members of the security forces and/or informants who wronged imo. Anyone else were unpaid citizens of the state who were carrying out what they seen as a justified campaign. If SF sign up for a full truth commission they could be throwing some of their own under the bus.

[Milltown Row2]

You can't select it based on who was getting paid, whether it's a justified cause or not! Only justified to the people carrying it out! You'd be giving the same justification to the UVF UDA and other loyalist 'freedom fighters'  then!

Truth commission needs to take in everyone, warts and all! It will be painful but you can't cherry pick

[Rossfan]

Is therealdonald a tongue in cheek WUM  or a poor brainwashed shinnerbot?
A truth commission where only some people are required to tell the truth

[BennyCake]

I came in here to ask why Joe Brolly hates Barry McGuigan so much... wish I hadn't its pretty disheartening stuff above! 

Probably because he's achieved more in sporting terms.

Could also be he's trying to be controversial saying he doesn't like Barry. Never met Barry but he comes across as a extremely likeable bloke. I'd say most people would think similar.