Police believe there are 300 dissident republicans involved in the campaign to destroy the Northern Ireland peace process, Chief Constable Sir Hugh Orde said today.
But he said the security forces had identified many of them and would be working hard to put them behind bars.
Sir Hugh spoke out today to assure the public that widespread violence would not be allowed to return and he paid tribute to the PSNI officer murdered by the Continuity IRA.
Police have arrested three men over the murder of Pc Stephen Carroll, 48, who was shot as he went to the aid of a distressed woman in the Craigavon area of Co Armagh on Monday evening.
A further three men have been arrested by police investigating the murders of two soldiers gunned down by the Real IRA as they collected pizzas at the gates of the Massereene Barracks in Antrim last Saturday night.
Writing in the News of the World, Sir Hugh said: "In the past 18 months or so there have been at least 25 attempts by dissident terrorists to kill officers on and off duty.
“But we must put this into perspective. These groups are small in number. The Real and Continuity IRA are disrupted, infiltrated and disorganised.
“The current wisdom is that they number around 300 in a population of 1.75 million.
“When they try to gain any political foothold through elections, they are wiped out by decent politicians committed to moving Northern Ireland forward in keeping with the will of the people.
“They are also very dangerous, like any cornered animal in its death throes.”
He added: “We have identified many of them. We are working flat out with the security services and other specialists to disrupt and arrest them and lock them up for the rest of their natural lives.
“Their current focus, in my judgment, is to attack my officers and we will meet that head-on.”
PA