This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/northern_ireland/6281805.stm

The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
SF holding first policing meeting Adams seeks police stance backing
(about 6 hours later)
Sinn Fein's first public meeting to debate support for policing is to be held in Toome in County Antrim on Saturday afternoon. Policing should not just be left to unionists, Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams has told republicans.
Meetings are also planned for Galbally in County Tyrone, Newcastle, Newry, Belfast, Lurgan and Londonderry later this month. He was speaking at the first public meeting to debate support for policing in Toome, County Antrim, on Saturday.
The party will then hold an ard fheis (conference) on policing at the end of the month. Other meetings are to take place before the party holds an ard fheis (conference) on policing in Dublin next Sunday.
"I am asking for your permission to enter into another area of struggle," he told a 200-strong audience.
"We do not want to leave policing to the unionists. We do not want to leavepolicing to the securocrats."
The West Belfast MP said he had made up his mind on the need for his party to get involved in policing six weeks ago.
"We have clear knowledge of how bad policing has been in this state," he said.
Our job is to serve our communities, to make sure our communities havedepoliticised and non-partisan policing Gerry Adams Sinn Fein President "We also have evidence, very bad evidence in terms of the Special Branch andalso the Special Branch of the Garda Siochana (the Irish Republic's police force), theHeavy Squad and the Morris Tribunal.
"The police services require to be kept under democratic accountability.
"Our job is to serve our communities, to make sure our communities havedepoliticised and non-partisan policing.
"The job of Sinn Fein representatives is to make sure that happens."
Meetings are also planned for Galbally in County Tyrone, Newcastle, Newry, Belfast, Lurgan and Londonderry.
More than 2,000 republicans are expected to vote at the conference.More than 2,000 republicans are expected to vote at the conference.
The party's executive decided last Saturday to go ahead with the ard fheis.The party's executive decided last Saturday to go ahead with the ard fheis.
It had earlier been put in doubt after Sinn Fein complained about the lack of a "positive response" from the DUP.It had earlier been put in doubt after Sinn Fein complained about the lack of a "positive response" from the DUP.
The British government has said Sinn Fein support for policing and the DUP's commitment to power-sharing are essential if devolution is to be restored in Northern Ireland.The British government has said Sinn Fein support for policing and the DUP's commitment to power-sharing are essential if devolution is to be restored in Northern Ireland.