Of course the operational performance of the PSNI over the last year has not been perfect. Even allowing for the inherent difficulties of policing in a divided society, the PSNI's policing of the interface violence in east Belfast over the summer left some room for improvement. In addition, the excessively high profile nature of its search operation at the Sinn Féin offices in Stormont was clearly ill-advised. However, the important point is that the PSNI is now being held to account for these failures – as reflected in the Chief Constable's commendable apology for the nature of the police operation at Stormont.