The Patten report's recommendation to abolish the Royal Ulster Constabulary's full-time reserve and reduce the RUC to 7,500 officers has been described as foolish and shameful, by the chairman of the Northern Ireland Police Ferderation, Mr Les Rodgers.
In a letter to British prime minister Mr Tony Blair, the federation chairman appealed to Mr Blair not to abolish the reserve when the security forces were severely stretched.
The Police Federation for Northern Ireland represents 12,000 RUC officers from Constable to Chief Inspector including 3,500 full time Reserve Constables and 1,500 part time Reserve Constables.
"At a time when this entire community is desperate for a proper peace, their security resources which are already stretched are being bartered for political triumphalism," he said.
His plea came against a backdrop of increasing terrorist activity by dissident republicans, and loyalist attacks on Catholic homes throughout Northern Ireland.
Mr Rodgers called in a letter to Northern Ireland Secretary John Reid for an urgent review of security resources, and warned that undermining the RUC would undermine the peace process.
Mr Blair, currently involved in negotiations aimed at breaking the deadlock in the peace process, is under intense pressure from republicans and nationalists to implement the Patten reforms on policing in full.
Mr Rodgers's letter cited the litany of terrorist-related incidents which had taken place so far this year - including 79 attacks on police officers, 30 people injured in paramilitary attacks, numerous pipe bombings, and four bomb and mortar attacks.
He wrote: "I urge you, together with the Prime Minister, to review the security resources and policing requirements available to the Chief Constable and to appreciate fully that undermining the police service will also undermine this peace."
PA