The Police Service of Northern Ireland is facing a shortfall of £15 million sterling in
the funding it needs to operate in the next year, it was revealed today.
Just as the first new recruits are due to graduate next week, Professor Desmond Rea, chairman of the Northern Ireland Policing Board, said he would have to go back to the British government for more cash during the coming financial year.
He revealed the money problems as he published his board's first Policing Plan setting out the priorities laid down for the PSNI for the next year and a longer term vision for policing over the next three years.
Professor Rea said: "We believe the plan focuses attention and resources in those areas of policing where Board members believe the community would want to see police effort concentrated."
He said: "Everyone has a right to feel safe and be reassured that issues of concern are being effectively policed."
Directing resources at tackling crimes such as domestic burglaries, theft and drugs would help promote public confidence, he said.
But he added: "However we firmly believe that an important element in reducing fear of crime is to have more officers on the ground".
It was critical to drive forward the policing with the community initiative, he said, adding that it would only be successful if enough officers were available to deliver community policing.
The PSNI regular force has already fallen well below the level proposed in the policing reform plans drawn up in the Patten Report because of huge numbers of officers taking early retirement severance.
Numbers are down to 6,994 with hundreds more due to go this year. Patten envisaged a 7,500 strong police force in ten years time provided the security situation permitted.
PA