The Policing Board today appealed for more money to address the £24.5 million (€28.8 millon) shortfall in Northern Ireland’s policing budget.
Security minister Paul Goggins agreed to look again at his overall spending plans to identify areas where savings could be found after meeting the board at Stormont today.
With thousands of former police officers submitting claims for compensation for hearing loss suffered during the Troubles police funds have been severely stretched.
SDLP board member Dolores Kelly said the meeting with Mr Goggins was "positive" and he agreed "to look to pressures within other areas of his responsibility like the Prison Service".
She said if there was going to be significant under-spend in one area that could be spread to the police service.
PSNI Chief Constable Sir Hugh Orde has said the jobs of civilian support staff could be lost as he struggles to pay for issues linked to the Troubles.
Sir Hugh said he believed a solution would be found to the problem, but added the recruitment process aimed at boosting Catholic numbers in the police
service would not be affected.
According to the PSNI, in April the government allocated £130 million less than needed for the next three years.
The officers are claiming a total of £87 million because they were not offered ear protection during firearms training in previous decades.
Ms Kelly said the cost of hearing loss was significant.
"Solicitors' firms across the North are actively targeting former police officers to advise them to put in their claim," she said. "Ninety-one per cent of the costs are legal fees, we are working to see if there's a way to reduce those legal costs."
Spending pressures outside police control include the civil service equal pay claim for certain grades of public servants and changes to the police pension scheme.
PA