Police Federation says SDLP plan 'fantasy'
The Police Federation, which represents rank-and-file PSNI officers, has dismissed SDLP proposals to disarm the force as a "fantasy".
The Federation says it can predict no time in the foreseeable future that the police could patrol without weapons.
The SDLP's Joe Byrne, a member of the Policing Board, says it's a pre-requisite of any normal democratic society.
"In a democratic society a routinely unarmed police service should be the norm," he said.
"While accepting that there should be police officers who properly have access to or carry weapons to fulfill dedicated policing functions and recognising concerns over the welfare of officers and citizens, the SDLP believes that with a new security assessment the question of moving towards the desirable objective of a routinely unarmed police service can be answered positively at this stage."
