Nationalists in the North have been angered by leaked proposals setting out a timetable for the Patten proposals to be put into effect.
According to the document given to the BBC yesterday, the RUC will be given a deadline of three years to reduce the size of the force to 7,500.
Described as the "Implementation Plan", it deals in detail with recommendations made by Mr Chris Patten in his report on RUC reform. It also reportedly identifies which of them have been accepted and who will be responsible for their implementation. An overseeing commissioner was expected to have been named later this week, although it is believed this will now be delayed until 2001.
Force restructuring will be left to the Chief Constable, Sir Ronnie Flanagan, and the report says the full-time reserve of 3,000 officers will be abolished. It recommends the lifting of the GAA's Rule 21 banning members of the security forces from playing Gaelic games "as quickly as possible as part of the process of creating a new beginning to policing in Northern Ireland".
Sinn Fein said the plan was evidence of the dilution of the Patten report. West Belfast Assembly member, Mr Alex Maskey, said: "There's a complete distortion of many of the fundamental aspects of Patten in a way which I think will give no confidence to the people I represent or, indeed, anybody in the nationalist community."
However, Sir Ronnie said: "There is no question of me being left to shape this in my own image, no way."
The SDLP said the British government "must ensure the legislation and implementation of the Patten proposals is achieved in full, in good time, and unambiguously". West Belfast Assembly member Mr Alex Attwood said these were the tests against which the published legislation and the leaked implementation plan should be judged.
"It is important the Overseeing Commissioner is appointed quickly, has a legislative basis and enjoys all necessary powers and resources," he said.
"The SDLP has previously expressed the required that the implementation of Patten must be strictly monitored and managed. In particular, it is essential the police do not have the ability to take Patten and remake it in an image more of their liking.
"There is some suggestion this concern has not been adequately addressed, and the British government must ensure that it is."
Mr David McClurg of the Police Federation said there was a fear and a concern among police about what the future holds, leading to low morale. He saw the future of the reserve force being related to the security situation, and that this issue wouldn't be looked at until late 2001.
He said: "We're actually talking about 3,500 people who have responsibilities, who have families, who have mortgages; that's what we're talking about and I think there's a real need for sensitivity in our discussions with them, and I think the government needs to recognise that and deal with them as they promised - sympathetically and generously."