Ulster Unionist leader Mr David Trimble has warned the British government against giving responsibility for policing and justice to the Northern Ireland Assembly after the next election.
He claimed the move would be disastrous even if the IRA had got rid of all of its weapons.
"Against the background of republican wrong-doing, their failure to keep undertakings and their proven duplicity . . . there would be a fatal collapse of confidence among the unionist electorate if they were told, early in the new year, that policing and justice were to be devolved."
With the Government preparing next week to introduce new policing legislation, which will include allowing ex-terrorist prisoners on to the district policing partnerships (DPPs), the Ulster Unionist leader described it as a "sop to Sinn Féin". He argued the move was against the spirit of the Patten Report on the reform of policing.
Mr Trimble described the reforms contained in the Policing Bill as a "sordid deal" agreed by Britain and the SDLP.Mr Trimble also expressed concern at plans to allow the Northern Ireland Police Ombudsman to inquire into and report on police policies and practices.
Sinn Féin accused Mr Trimble of trying to frustrate progress on the Belfast Agreement and further dilute the Patten recommendations on policing.