IT has been a tumultuous time for the North's Police Authority: months of internal wrangling, public disagreement and, finally, the sacking of its chairman and another prominent member over policies and a leadership style deemed too radical.
The affair has impressed few. Nationalist politicians say it shows the body is unwilling to support the fundamental policing changes which are required.
Unionists are relieved it is now under an apparently more conservative leadership but some still fear its potential to recommend measures which would change the RUC's ethos.
The body was established under the Police Act (NI) 1970 to "secure the maintenance of an adequate and efficient police service". Other statutes require it to monitor how complaints against the RUC are handled, obtain the public's views on policing and gain co-operation for the police in preventing crime.
But the legislation's vagueness leaves the body's powers open to interpretation. In 1994, Mr David Cook - a solicitor and former Alliance Lord Mayor of Belfast - was appointed chairman. He decided to play a vigorous role.
This led to tension with the RUC Chief Constable, Sir Hugh Annesley, over the scope and implementation of the authority's functions. Last year, Mr Cook rejected Sir Hugh's annual report, claiming it failed to meet "requested standards of public accountability".
When the IRA ceasefire was declared, Mr Cook initiated an elaborate community consultation exercise. Every household was asked to submit ideas on the future of the RUC. There were almost 8,000 replies.
But the report following the exercise threw the authority into turmoil. Mr Cook and another leading member, Mr Chris Ryder, favoured having issues such as the flying of Union flags from police stations and reference to the British Queen in the RUC oath included so they would be publicly debated.
Their critics accused both men of undermining the authority by discussing issues in public on which it had yet to reach agreement.
The authority passed votes of no confidence in them last month. The men refused to resign and were sacked last week by the Northern Secretary, Sir Patrick Mayhew.
Mr Ryder, the former Ireland Correspondent of the Sunday Times and the Daily Telegraph says: "Sir Patrick caved in to the hardliners, which is not in the interests of the authority, the RUC or the nationalist community.
He seems to be backing those who are intransigently opposed to pragmatic changes to policing in Northern Ireland." He predicts the authority, free of its two most "troublesome" members, will "retreat into its shell".
Mr Ryder is not optimistic that it will take a "pro-active and outspoken position in advancing the changes needed to policing in Northern Ireland".
The body's new chairman, Mr Pat Armstrong, says it supports "evolutionary and incremental" changes to policing. He argues that it is accountable to the public and will move towards greater openness. "But we must go forward at a certain pace."
He wants the authority's powers vis-a-vis the RUC to be clearly outlined. "Sensitive issues" will be included in the community consultation report to be published later this month.
Critics claim, however, that the issues will be fudged. "They will just be mentioned," one says.
Nationalist politicians have long regarded the authority as inadequate and ineffectual. They claim it favours merely cosmetic changes rather than root-and-branch reform of policing.
SDLP councillor Mr Alex Attwood was unimpressed by both factions on the authority. "One faction wanted minimum change; the other begrudged any change. One faction wanted minimum transparency; the other wanted to maintain the old culture of secrecy," he says.
"Both ill-served the policing debate because neither dealt with the real policing problems on the streets of the North." The SDLP has banned its members from sitting on the authority.
Mr Armstrong, however, says there is "no evidence" that the authority lacks credibility within the nationalist community. The SDLP's non co-operation is a matter for the party, he adds.
The authority, at least in theory, is meant to represent a cross-section of the community. "It clearly doesn't do that," says Sinn Fein's justice spokesman, Mr Barry McElduff. "There is no one serving on the board with whom the nationalist community identifies."
The authority's current 18-member panel will continue until the end of its three-year term in July 1997. Members are appointed by the Northern Secretary.
But the DUP's justice spokesman, Mr Ian Paisley Jnr, hopes the next panel will be picked by someone different. "I'd like to see a local assembly appointing the members of the authority," he says
Undoubtedly, that proposal will cause heated debate at all-party talks.