A new controversy over policing in Northern Ireland erupted tonight after Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams was accused of calling on republicans to ostracise Catholics who join the new police service.
The West Belfast MP said he expected republicans to give recruits to the new service "exactly the same treatment the republican movement accorded to the RUC. No more. No less."
Mr Adams was speaking as the new 19-member board handling policing reforms began to take shape.
The Ulster Unionists, Democratic Unionists and nationalist SDLP appointed Assembly members to the board which will take some of the key decisions affecting the service such as the flying of the flag, the badge and emblems, a new uniform and research into alternatives to plastic bullets.
Mr Adams, however, today insisted the new policing model fell far short of what was required for his community.
"My position is very clear. I want to see republicans and nationalists part of a new police service and I will actively encourage people to be a part of that when we have a new beginning to policing.
"Sinn Féin will not only nominate to the policing board but do everything it can to instil confidence in the police when that happens but we do not have a new beginning to policing.
"Anybody interested in a new beginning to policing should not act or be a part of this police service."
With the first batch of 308 recruits due to begin training soon, the Sinn Féin president was lambasted by unionists and nationalists on the Police Board.
Mr Alex Attwood, one of the nationalist SDLP's nominees to the board, compared the Sinn Féin president's comments with the actions of loyalist protesters picketing primary schoolchildren in north Belfast.
"Sinn Féin have to come clean," he said.
"Are they saying that in not encouraging people to go into the police service that they will conduct themselves like the loyalists in Glenbryn, who are trying to impede local people going to local schools?" he asked.
"They (Sinn Féin) need to confirm that any individual who wishes to go into the police service has the freedom so to do and will be free from harassment, abuse or threat."
The DUP's Ian Paisley Junior said: "I think these comments make Gerry Adams Northern Ireland's Bin Laden and he is the pariah of any right thinking person.
"What he is saying is that going by past record that new recruits are fair game to be shot, to be bombed, to be attacked and to be abused."