The Northern Ireland Office has confirmed it will introduce procedures aimed at making it easier to discipline and sack police officers in the future.
So far, the biggest obstacle to effective disciplinary action has been that breaches of discipline by police officers have to be proven "beyond a reasonable doubt".
This often means that officers who are charged with criminal offences and then found not guilty in court almost automatically escape any disciplinary action. The changes will bring Northern Ireland in line with England and Wales.