The latest report from the Oversight Commissioner for Northern Ireland has found that police reforms are irreversible and have moved forward so far that there is nothing to stop Sinn Féin joining the Policing Board.
Oversight Commissioner Al Hutchinson said all that was needed was the political judgment from Sinn Féin that the time was right to act.
Mr Hutchinson also called on the British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, to come up with the money needed to build an urgently needed new police training college in Northern Ireland.
In his latest report on the implementation of the Patten policing reforms, the retired senior Canadian police officer said things were progressing well, but he did not expect all recommendations to be fully implemented by the time of his final report in May next year.
On the positive side he said he now had full confidence in the Policing Board and the Ombudsman.
However, he said the collective will of the people of Northern Ireland, and their support for the Good Friday Agreement, continued to be frustrated.
He cited ongoing sectarian violence, paramilitary activities, organised criminality and increasingly violent assaults on the young, the elderly, racial minorities and other vulnerable groups.
Mr Hutchinson said there was a growing recognition in all communities that the only means of dealing with the issues effectively was a capable and effective police service and criminal justice system working in partnership with the community.
