RUC: Prince Charles pays tribute to police families at centenary event

Drew Harris and Simon Byrne, who head the police forces in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, sat side-by-side at the event

Prince Charles has paid tribute to the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) at a commemoration service to mark the 100th anniversary of its formation.

Almost 500 people attended the event at St Anne's Cathedral in Belfast.

Church and political leaders joined ex-RUC and Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) officers to mark the occasion.

The prince, who was unable to attend in person, praised the "fortitude" of RUC families.

In a message to those gathered, he said: "In this centenary year, it is deeply appropriate that we mark together the sacrifices, honour the acts of courage and heroism and pay tribute to the achievements of all those who served in the RUC.

"We remember particularly the widows and families and those who supported the serving personnel with such fortitude and devotion."

• How was Northern Ireland's centenary year marked?

Sir Ronnie Flanagan, a former chief constable, was also in attendance

The police force came into existence on 1 June 1922, after the partition of Ireland and following the disbandment of the Royal Irish Constabulary.

The RUC was renamed the Police Service of Northern Ireland in 2001, as part of reforms implemented following the 1998 Good Friday Agreement.

Since the formation of the RUC a century ago, 462 officers have lost their lives in the line of duty.

More than 10,000 others have been injured, including 300 who were left severely disabled.

Prince Charles praised the fortitude of RUC families in his message

'Indelible impression'

On a visit to Belfast in March, the Prince of Wales met families of former personnel through the RUC George Cross Foundation (RUC GC) of which he is a patron.

"It was a meeting that has left an indelible impression on me and, while I cannot be in Belfast today, please know that you are all very much in my thoughts as you commemorate this centenary of policing in Northern Ireland," he added.

The service was conducted by the Dean of Belfast, Rev Stephen Forde and featured contributions from the Police Male Voice Choir and the PSNI Ladies Choir.

The event was held at St Anne's Cathedral in Belfast on Sunday

The Church of Ireland Bishop of Armagh, the Reverend John McDowell, said RUC officers carried out their duties to "keep their families safe".

Prof Stephen White, the chair of the RUC GC, said he had "great pride in our achievements" and that "families are at the forefront of our minds".

"As well as commemorating, we are also reflecting and remembering in a very respectful way those who have served before, provided duty and safety for those who are in this community and sadly, some as we know paid the price, not just in the more recent Troubles, but throughout the period of 1922 and onwards."

Prof Stephen White (right) said the event remembered those officers who had lost their lives since 1922

However, Prof White, a retired assistant chief constable, recognised that not all members of the community would be celebrating the RUC.

"Clearly, we live in a divided society. Clearly, there are political motives and motivations that somehow have allowed police to be kicked about like political football. For us it was more serious than that, because we were losing our lives, we were losing our colleagues," he said.

"Every day we were going on duty, day after day, week after week, year after year trying to protect the lives of others, the property, the businesses and yet for some people they couldn't see beyond perhaps what I would consider to be prejudices.

"I'm conscious people are brought up in certain ways with certain ideologies with certain myths about the organisation that I represented and that's sad but it's true."