Alliance welcomes Orde commitment on police

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Fri 2nd Sep 2005

Alliance representative for Antrim Line, Councillor Tom Campbell, has welcomed the comments from the Chief Constable to the NI Policing Board that there is no place with those with terrorist convictions within the police

service, and stressed that it is important that this line is held.

Councillor Campbell, who has been nominated for a place on the Newtownabbey DPP, said:

"Everyone in Northern Ireland deserves the same high standards of policing. There can be no place in a quality, professional service for those with

terrorist or other serious criminal convictions. The people of Northern Ireland will not stand for history being rewritten through wiping out past

terrorist convictions.

"The police are presently inundated with applications to join from across the community. Literally, thousands of quality people are being turned away every year.

"The commitment of the Chief Constable, Sir Hugh Orde, that former terrorists will not be allowed to join the police is to be welcomed. But it is important that the line is held on this issue.

"Government must listen to the comments that are coming forward from right across the political spectrum and from professional police officers.