PSNI launches recruitment drive to hire 600 new officers

Chief constable Simon Byrne has hailed the appearance of Sinn Féin's deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill at a police recruitment event as "seismic and historic".

Ms O'Neill's attendance at the PSNI's training college on Tuesday morning comes amid efforts to encourage more young nationalists to join the police service.

Police commanders did not know until less than an hour before her arrival that the republican leader would be attending the launch of the campaign to recruit 600 new officers.

She joined DUP First Minister Arlene Foster as they posed for photographs with Mr Byrne holding up posters promoting the PSNI as a positive career choice.

"I think it's seismic and historic in terms of the history of the PSNI and thecommitment we have heard from Sinn Féin today, and indeed all political leaders who have joined us in this launch," Mr Byrne said.

Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill met Chief Constable Simon Byrne. Credit: Pacemaker

Sinn Féin had previously been accused of not doing enough to advocate policing as a career.

Mr Byrne, who had called on nationalist and republican leaders to be more vocal in promoting the police, said: "We have called for that support in the past and now people have stood up to that challenge and stepped forward and are encouraging people to join the PSNI, so I think it's an historic day not just for policing but for Northern Ireland."

The two leaders said they wanted to see a return to 50-50 recruitment in the PSNI Credit: Pacemaker

Ms O'Neill, who was joined by Sinn Féin policing spokesman Gerry Kelly, said she wanted to achieve a police service that was more representative of the community it serves.

"Clearly the PSNI have launched a very significant, intensive, recruitmentcampaign and we are here because it is no secret that nationalists areunrepresentative in the police service, that Catholics are under-represented in the police service and, if we are going to have a police service that commands community confidence, then it needs to be reflective of the community it serves, so we are here because of that reason," she said.

The deputy First Minister said she wanted to see a return of the controversial50-50 positive discrimination tool that ensures the PSNI recruits Catholics and Protestants in equal numbers.

She said steps also needed to be taken to address under-representation of women and members of ethnic minorities.

Asked if she would encourage young Catholics to join the police, Ms O'Neillreplied: "I think the fact that I am here today speaks volumes in terms of what I am trying to do - we need a PSNI that is reflective of the community in which it serves."

She highlighted that only one out of every five Catholics who apply for thePSNI are successful.

"There is a big issue here in terms of Catholics being successful in the recruitment process," she added.

The PSNI is hoping to attract more Catholic recruits to address under-representation. Credit: Pacemaker

DUP First Minister Arlene Foster welcomed the Sinn Féin move.

"I think it is important because there have been a lot of conversations aboutthe fact that we need to have a police service that reflects Northern Irelandsociety - so I think it's important that, as leaders, we show leadership and come along to these events to support our police service, so that is significant and I very much welcome it," she said.

She said the fact there were representatives from across society at the eventsent a "very powerful message".

Mrs Foster said it was the "next step" in Sinn Féin's journey in supportingthe police.

"We had been concerned that there hadn't been members coming along torecruitment and indeed graduation ceremonies, so I welcome the fact that Sinn Féin are here today because I think it sends out a good message," she said.

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