SF accused of not supporting PSNI appointment because of Adams' arrest

Sinn Féin withdrew from the selection panel, believing the process was compromised, but their partners in government, the Democratic Unionists, claimed republicans acted because the former assistant chief constable investigated allegations against Adams.

The party president was questioned for four days earlier this year by detectives about the 1972 murder of Belfast mother-of-10 Jean McConville and other alleged links with the IRA. He was not charged.

DUP representative Jonathan Craig said: “Their only beef was that this man as a police officer carried out his duty and investigated allegations against their leader.

“They cannot pick and choose, you either support the rule of law and order or you don’t.”

This is the latest in a series of disputes between North’s two largest political parties at a time of fragility in the devolved powersharing administration. Sinn Féin support for the police was central to the re-establishment of devolved institutions in 2007.

Since then the party has participated fully in a range of scrutiny mechanisms at local and regional levels. Full powers over policing and justice have been devolved from London to Belfast.

The Policing Board which includes elected members appoints senior members of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) and holds the force to account. On Tuesday it named Mr Harris to become the second most senior officer in the force.

He was appointed despite Sinn Fein withdrawing from the selection panel.

Sinn Fein said it withdrew not out of concern about the candidates but about the recruitment process. Board member Caitriona Ruane called for a fresh recruitment competition.

She said: “It is the integrity of the process which is most important in my view.

“I want to make it clear that none of my concerns reflect in any way on either of the two senior officers involved. They are clearly not at fault here.”

A Board statement has said the process was not compromised.