Plan to cut North police reserve force ‘not a political move’

SENIOR police officers in Northern Ireland accepted assurances from their Chief Constable yesterday that his decision to axe more than half of his full-time reservists was not politically motivated.

Leaders of the Superintendents’ Association met Hugh Orde in Belfast after representatives of the rank and file claimed he had bowed to political pressure to reduce the reservists from just under 1,500 to 680.

Mr Orde categorically denied the accusation.