The fact that Police Ombudsman Nuala O'Loan has been able to investigate the noxious interface between the RUC special branch and loyalist paramilitaries and publish her findings in relation to murders, attempted murders and punishment beatings shows just how much things have changed in Northern Ireland. Her damning report looks at collusion between the RUC and a multiple killer between 1991 and 2002 and concludes that it was sanctioned at a very high level. Worse than that, she finds this may not have been an isolated pattern.
Acceptable policing standards in Northern Ireland collapsed because special branch dominance led to the creation of what the Patten report described as "a force within a force". Junior detectives broke the law by withholding information on sectarian murders and by destroying evidence on serious crime in order to protect their informants. That behaviour was tacitly accepted as being necessary by their superior offices because of particular circumstances. But Mrs O'Loan concluded that it led to the development of the Ulster Volunteer Force and the expansion of its sectarian and criminal activities within the community.
As might be expected, there was an attempted cover-up. Half of the retired RUC officers contacted by the Ombudsman's office did not respond. Those who did, including some at the highest level, either declined to co-operate with the investigation or they provided evasive or contradictory evidence. On occasion, the individuals concerned told complete untruths. Files were later sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions but no charges have been brought. In spite of that, Northern Secretary of State Peter Hain has insisted there will be consequences for those involved.
PSNI Chief Constable Sir Hugh Orde has accepted all of the recommendations made in the report concerning new reporting structures and the handling of police informants. He criticised the management and oversight of the RUC special branch. And the few remaining officers employed within the PSNI, will be retrained and assigned to different work.
Senior politicians on both sides of the Irish Sea have responded with suitable concern. The Taoiseach found the report on RUC collusion with the leader of a loyalist murder gang to be "deeply disturbing". The British prime minister expressed his "profound regret" while noting that recent reforms would prevent any recurrence.
This is a time of particular sensitivity in Northern Ireland, as the Sinn Féin leadership consults its members over a policy change that could provide formal recognition for the PSNI and open the door to powersharing with the Democratic Unionist Party. A special ardfheis will decide the matter. The party's chief negotiator Martin McGuinness has chosen to regard the Ombudsman's report as a positive development and a challenge to republicans to participate in a fully representative police service. That is the way to go.