PSNI now 26.14% catholic

[Pat Mc Larnon]

I was in a garda station in Clare a few years ago (giving a statement as a witness to an accident, I might swiftly add before the wisecracks start) and the place had loads of Catholic icons on public view - e.g. Child of Prague statue, Sacred Heart picture - as well as a crucifix on the wall.

I just wondered if it was appropriate, and what we might say if the PSNI had Protestant/Orange Order stuff in their public offices.

In my opinion it is not appropriate.

[Duth Ealla]

even it if there has been a 10 fold increase, its still 0.1 % or 1% if theres been a hundred fold increase, either way its still pretty unrepresentative, esp with protestents being 3.7% of the population, the point being that a police force should ideally be representative of the community it serves but should also be capable of serving all in society equally and not just based in religion / ethnicity, etc. I as a non Roman Catholic have never one in all my dealing with the police ever had the slightest issue with them, its only a pity that the same cannot be said for NI

Ideally should be representative but your mention of .1% of An Garda being protestant is misleading isn't it.

What are you proposing that people who happen to be protestant should be forced to join the Gardai?

This may be the hidden story of modern Ireland the fact that the catholics left protestants into the presidency and the law courts but kept the gardai jobs for themselves.

You have a sharp eye for history Dr. Bob I can tell.

[factual]

Nice to see that PSF certainly doesn’t endorse sectarian head counting.
The amount of people belonging to a particular religion in any police force shouldn’t really matter.

I don't endorse sectarian headcounting. However in the context of the police its important to ensure that it becomes as representative as possible and one measure of this is the religious breakdown (by community background). Other indicators such as number of ethnic minorities number of GLBTs and number of women are also important. It is good to see things moving rapidly in the right direction.

[Moogie]

The RIC was 80 - 90% Catholic but that didn't stop Dan Breen and Seán Treacy putting a few rounds into Constables Patrick MacDonnell and James O'Connell. By their names I'd assume they were Catholic too.

[Driftwood]

What percentage of the PSNI are atheist?

[oscartango]

God only knows.

[mothball]

Yes, but it's Northern Ireland. So it does.

It only matters if the police are corrupt and can’t be trusted. Sinn Féin already supports them. Which is it?
As far as political policing is concerned, I’ll never trust them but the shinners obviously do which means they should STFU.

[mothball]

I don't endorse sectarian headcounting. However in the context of the police its important to ensure that it becomes as representative as possible and one measure of this is the religious breakdown (by community background). Other indicators such as number of ethnic minorities number of GLBTs and number of women are also important. It is good to see things moving rapidly in the right direction.

Sinn Féin supports British policing imposing British laws. All it should be concerned with is that those laws are implemented. It shouldn’t be bothered whether the policeman is a Catholic, a lesbian or a trained duck.
If I go to Germany then most of the police in certain areas will probably be protestant. However, I expect that my religion will have nothing to do with my treatment.

[PaulMeyer]

The RIC was 80 - 90% Catholic but that didn't stop Dan Breen and Seán Treacy putting a few rounds into Constables Patrick MacDonnell and James O'Connell. By their names I'd assume they were Catholic too.

Let's not beat about the bush here, he murdered them in cold blood, end of story.

[oscartango]

[QUOTE=mothball;1532784]It shouldn’t be bothered whether the policeman is a Catholic, a lesbian or a trained duck.QUOTE]

Would that be a platyPuSNI ?