Severance deal over PSNI reserve

The full-time reserve has faced an uncertain future

The Police Federation has agreed a severance deal for its members in the full-time police reserve.

The agreement, reached on Wednesday, comes the day before the Northern Ireland chief constable is due to make a decision on the future of the reserve.

Terry Spence, federation general secretary, said it was the best deal they could have got.

He added that although he would like to see the chief constable recommend the full retention of the reserve, he realised Hugh Orde would recommend that a number of officers be made redundant.

"We met with the Northern Ireland Office today - these have been very difficult negotiations which have been going on for some 18 months."

He added: "It may not suit every single individual officer, in the way in which we hoped it would, but generally we believe the majority of our officers will be satisfied with what we have negotiated on their behalf.

"A significant number of officers will have an enhancement to their current pension... some officers will have a lump sum to the equivalent of £100,000.

"Of course, subsequent to that, at age 50, they would also have their commutation lump sum."

He added: "I haven't got any particular costings. Some people have mooted that it could be £100m-plus. I haven't seen the overall costings for it."

Mr Orde is to hold further talks with senior officers before making a decision on the reserve.

Mr Orde will tell the Policing Board his decision on Thursday

He is due to announce his decision at a private meeting of the Policing Board on Thursday.

The full-time reserve has faced an uncertain future since the publication of the Patten Report on police reform in Northern Ireland in 1999.

Opinion is split between nationalists and unionists over its future.

The Patten Commission recommended its disbandment but DUP representatives told Mr Orde at a meeting on Monday that the PSNI could not afford to lose so many officers.

Almost 1,500 reserve officers are waiting to hear the chief constable's decision.

Necessary manpower

DUP leader Ian Paisley told Prime Minister Tony Blair on Wednesday that more - and not less policing - was needed in Northern Ireland.

In a statement after his phone call with Mr Blair on Wednesday, Mr Paisley said he had urged the prime minister not to make concessions to "extravagant republican and nationalist demands".

He said Mr Blair must ensure the police have the necessary manpower to do the job the public expects.

As Mr Orde meets the Board, his deputy Paul Leighton will brief the Federation and the Superintendents Association.

There is political speculation that part of the police reserve will be retained, but this has yet to be confirmed.

Northern Ireland Secretary Paul Murphy has already spoken to the Police Federation about potential severance packages.

The Patten Report planned a "peace-time" service of 7,500 regular officers and 2,500 part-timers.

The review of policing in Northern Ireland by former Hong Kong Governor Chris Patten was one of the key elements of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement.