The RUC Chief Constable, Sir Ronnie Flanagan, yesterday paid tribute to the "professionalism and bravery" of past and serving officers at the opening of a four-day exhibition in the House of Commons celebrating the work of the force and the award of the George Cross.
The timing of the exhibition, as the Police (Northern Ireland) Bill heads for the House of Lords, may have been "ironic, but it is absolutely coincidental", Sir Ronnie told The Irish Times. "I have said how important the title and crest are to my officers, to retired officers and to bereaved families, but that debate is now in parliament. So let the debate take place in parliament."
The exhibition, entitled "Pride In The Service", is being held in the Upper Waiting Hall. It conveys the breadth of the activities undertaken by the RUC and is intended to inform visitors it is not just a police force fighting terrorism.
It comprises themed wall panels illustrating the day-to-day duties and specialist skills employed by RUC officers. These include community liaison, rescue operations and the sending of officers to Kosovo to help organise a police force there.
The exhibition also refers to the history and the sacrifices involved for RUC members and their families in 30 years of conflict in the North. Three serving RUC officers will attend the exhibition to answer questions.
The Northern Ireland Minister, Mr George Howarth, said the exhibition was not only a tribute to the RUC's past but also looked to the future of a police service functioning in a "completely different" security situation.
He said that in relation to the Police (Northern Ireland) Bill the exhibition was being held in an "appropriate" location between the House of Commons and the House of Lords. The timing of the exhibition was also appropriate because it was being held at a time when the RUC was looking to the future, he said.
The sponsors of the exhibition, which is co-hosted by the RUC and the Police Federation for Northern Ireland, are the Liberal Democrat MP, Mr Simon Hughes, the Conservative MP, Mr Dominic Grieve, and the Labour MP, Mr Andrew MacKinlay. The chairman of the Police Federation, Mr Les Rodgers, said it was a "tremendous privilege" to show MPs and the public the RUC's achievements and its dedication to preserving democracy and the law.
Also attending yesterday were the First Minister of Northern Ireland, Mr David Trimble, the Conservative spokesman on Northern Ireland, Mr Andrew Mackay, the Irish Ambassador to Britain, Mr Edward Barrington, the former Labour spokesman on Northern Ireland, Mr Kevin McNamara, and the UUP MP, Mr Jeffrey Donaldson. Mr Donaldson said he did not believe the exhibition was a farewell to the RUC. "As we have seen in recent days, we need a strong, professional police service in Northern Ireland, and it is my view that the RUC is best placed to provide that," he said.