“questions asked at Scar man and from the Have…”

questions asked at Scar man and from | the R.U.C. Have you any idea of Cushley. Both my estimates couldbe |Cushley. Fortune favours the brave!

printed and published weekly by the Peoples Democracy 88 Ladybrook Pk Belfast Subscription 50/- per year | Our average policeman is really | wonderful. Indeed he is positively astounding. At almost everything: football-fan beating, drunken perjury, murder and conspiracy to silence. But he is only as good as his superior officers. And just how good are they? To establish this we analyse some answers given at the Scarman Tribunal by two typical superior R.U.C. officers, Assistant Chief Constable Sammy Bradley and Chief Inspector Davy Cushley. Two straightforward honest men, loved From what they told Scarmen a composite profile of a police officer many qualities with varied roles to play as part of his job. A complex profile, signifying anything.

Judge him for yourself, from the these answers two officers gave. The policeman is all t hese things:The Trained Observer:

Q. You indicated that a crowd of 500 attacked Townsend Street police station, yet in a report to your superiors you describe the crowd as being 200 strong?

wrong.

Q. How many petrol bombs did you see at North Howard Street on 13th August.

Cushley. I cannot remember.

The Impartial Lawman:

Q. Are you a member of the Orange Order?

Cushley. Yes.

Q. You told the Tribunal you had no trouble on 13th August from Protestant crowds. So all the trouble was caused by the Catholics?

Cushley. Yes. That is correct.

The Police Expert Q. What is the range of a police Browning machine gun?

Bradley. I don't know.

Q. How many petrol bombs did it take to burn down all Bombay Street?

Bradley. Oh, one or two.

The Loyal Officer:

Q. Could you tell us the names of the policemen who told you that police had been shot at from Divis St.

flats ?

Cushley. I would not!

Q. Supposing you could write those names on a piece of paper and hand them over, would your answer be different ?

Cushley No!

The Buck-passing Comrade:

Q. Who commanded the Shoreland armoured cars, mounted with Brownings, on the night of August 14th?

Cushley. They were under the super-;

vision of Chief Inspector Gilchrist, I and ultimately under my command.

But I did not see Gilchrist that night | nor did he communicate with me.

Ex*.2 Incorruptible Witness:

Q. Ten months ago on January 12th 1970 you stated you saw police Browr::

ing machine guns fired at the Divis Street flats. How did you come to | make a statement like this? It was | sent to you to read and check. Cushley. I made a mistake. Iam only human. My statement was not word perfect. That piece of my state ment was erroneous.

The Well-informed Watchdog: you know of the U.V.F.?

Q. What do I have heard rumours about Bradley. the U.V.F. but I don't believe it exThey have no organisation. ists now.

They have no leader. I do not know of any Protestant organisation comparable with the I.R.A.

/ Q. What did the findings of an investigation conducted by Assistant Chief Constable Harry Baillie into incidents in Derry convey to you? Bradley. Nothing.

Q. But you have read the Hunt Report which states that Catholics form a very small precentage of what that precentage is?

Bradley. No.

The Visionary Seer:

Q. If there was heavy firing from Divis Street at the police, as you have said, do you not find it strange that only four policemen received bullet wounds?

The Blind-eye Turner:

Q. Commandant Thompson of the B Specials stated here that he saw two men running toward Divis Street with a crate of petrol bombs which they threw into St. Comgall's School.

About 100 - 200 Protestants got into Divis Street then. At any stage on your visit did you see a mob rushing into Divis Street?

A. I saw B Specials there but I can't say I met Mr. Thompson. I did not see a mob on the rampage.

The Professional Soldier:

Q. General Freeland has stated.that if you are going to use minimum force an automatic weapon is a dangerous thing to have ?

Cushley. I cannot agree with him.

The Naked -Q. You say you didn't see any fir| ing at the flats or receive a report about it?

Cushley. I think there was a report.

I didn't receive a report. Iwasa mere District Inspector then and men wouldn't have put their reports through me.

And the Dead:

Q. What are your feelings about the death of nine-year-old Patrick Rooney in Divis Street Flats on the night of the 14th August?

Bradley. I often wondered about the death of that young lad who was shot dead in the flats while in bed.

Final Touches to the Profile: By now your profile should be fully sketched. If you still wish to add a touch or two, consider the | comments of Justice Scarman to ‘ each of his police officer witnesses: ' To Bradley - You are not being fully ' frank with this Tribunal.

To Cushley - Just bear this in mind. {| That when you are asked about what you have seen, please tell us ALL the facts.

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by all who know them. | | emerges. He turns out to a man of