Never forget RUC sacrifices, police urged

Members of the new Police Service of Northern Ireland have been urged never to forget the sacrifices made by the men and women of the Royal Ulster Constabulary.

At a special service of thanksgiving held at St Anne's Cathedral in Belfast, the Archbishop of Armagh, Dr Robin Eames, paid tribute to the "service, dedication, sacrifice and leadership" of the RUC.

"Today as we meet in this cathedral, a new generation of young men and women are beginning their training," he said.

"If in the years to come in this Province, the new police service is ever allowed to forget the sacrifice of the RUC or to lose the lessons of a community that has worn its injury and hurt with such dignity, then the police service will be the poorer."

Hundreds of people packed into the cathedral to give thanks to a police force that lost 302 officers during 30 years of the Troubles.

The guests included serving officers, former officers, those who had been disabled in terrorist outrages and the families of those who had paid the ultimate sacrifice.

The RUC, which bore the brunt of 30 years of terrorist violence, passed into history on November 4 when it was replaced by the Police Service of Northern Ireland.