The new PSNI chief constable Matt Baggott has said he will seek assistance from the Garda if necessary to meet the challenge from dissident republicans.
To the annoyance of unionists he also described the Border as “artificial” in policing terms.
Mr Baggott said nothing would prevent him from rolling out the normalisation of policing in the North. He said he would not be bullied by dissidents into altering his plans to transform an “out of date” policing system.
Mr Baggott said that “the very last place” he would go to would be to call the British army to deal with any escalation of dissident republican violence.
He said however that he would seek assistance from constabularies in England and Wales and from the Garda if necessary.
Mr Baggott told the Belfast Telegraph: “I’m not saying we would have the Garda coming here policing alongside PSNI officers.”