THE Chief Constable of the RUC, Sir Hugh Annesley, will defend his controversial decision on the Drumcree stand off at a meeting of the Northern Ireland Police Authority tomorrow.
At the same meeting, a motion of no confidence in Sir Hugh is to be tabled by an authority member, Mr Sean Neeson, a member of the Alliance Party. A number of other authority members are likely to be critical of Sir Hugh's handling of the Drumcree crisis.
The police authority chairman, Mr Pat Armstrong, confirmed yesterday that Sir Hugh will make a full report to the body in relation to the RUC's decisions during the events at Garvaghy Road and the Lower Ormeau Road.
Acknowledging that a motion of no confidence in the Chief Constable is likely to be tabled, Mr Armstrong said that at this stage speculation as to the out come of the meeting would be both unhelpful and counterproductive.
He said in a statement. "The Chief Constable, his senior command and the rank and file of the RUC have had to lace, some of the most difficult situations imaginable in recent days. Their main priority has been to protect life and limb in local communities."
Mr Armstrong said it would be inappropriate for the authority, as a body, to adopt a formal view on the Chief Constable's position until they had met him and had been fully briefed by him.
A number of authority members are understood to be considering their positions as a result of recent events.