MLAs urge Baggott to review policy on weapons
THE Assembly yesterday heard how former members of the security forces are having their personal protection weapons withdrawn, despite the increased dissident republican threat.
MLAs debated an Ulster Unionist motion calling on Chief Constable Matt Baggott to “urgently review” the PSNI’s policy on the weapons.
But the motion, tabled by UUP MLAs Basil McCrea and Tom Elliott, was criticised by Sinn Fein who raised the prospect of the weapons being misused.
Meanwhile, DUP deputy leader Nigel Dodds said that his party, which is attempting to use the issue as a bargaining chip over the devolution of policing and justice, said that he is waiting for the chief constable to respond to a letter about the issue.
“Following a wide-ranging meeting held recently between the DUP leadership and the new chief constable, I have written to him to outline DUP concerns over this and other issues and I look forward to his response.
“We will continue to apply pressure to the police and the Northern Ireland Office.
“Already one police officer and two soldiers have lost their lives to dissident republican terrorists. Let us hope that it will not take further loss of life before the police and the Northern Ireland Office come to their senses over this issue.”
