North police crisis as Orde cuts reserve force

NORTHERN Ireland Chief Constable Hugh Orde outraged some of his senior officers last night after axing more than half his full-time reserve force.

Furious rank and file union representatives also passed a vote of no confidence in his leadership and accused him to bowing to political pressure.

The Police Federation claimed morale could collapse. General secretary Terry Spence said: "His ability to exercise independence of judgment has been compromised."