Sorry about the necro reply
It is a secret, at least for any member with any common sense.
I have an acquaintance who was an RUC officer, she told me that the first time her daughter realised she was a police officer was when her school bus was stopped at a vehicle check point where she was on duty!
Things really haven’t become that much more relaxed for the police here even after the Troubles, I’m sure you’re aware of this recent story:
Granted its a soldiers car but for the dissidents police are just as much a ‘valid target’.
I’m fascinated by this, I mean NI is a small enough society, I would have thought being anonymous as a police officer would be nigh on impossible. I know one lad who joined PSNI from down here and to be honest I think he’s stone mad.
I imagine the best policy would be simply to restrict the circle of people who know to the bare minimum, spouse, parents, very close and trustworthy friends. Just tell everyone else you work in insurance or something!
Despite all the progress NI is still a very strange place, in regards to being a police-officer I imagine its a bit like being a combination of police officer, undercover agent and soldier (all officers are armed with handguns and most are also trained in longarms, I know someone who is a police officer and ex-army, he describes the training and work as ‘military-lite’.)
btw why do you think your friend is mad? Its a (fairly) well paid and honourable career? If dangerous.
Yeah the danger, he’s a southern Catholic, working in a predominantly republican part of NI. I just worry he’ll wind up like Ronan Kerr.
Well thats understandable, but as the saying goes he knew the risks when he signed up!
I’m sure it would be an interesting study for someone to compare and contrast the Garda Síochána and the PSNI, do you mind if I ask why he joined the latter and not the former?
Not too sure to be honest.