Under valuing police officers in Northern Ireland is leading to an NHS-style crisis situation: Mike Nesbitt

The NI Policing Board member and Ulster Unionist MLA also said it was regrettable that some officers were taking second jobs to make ends meet.

In December, Police Federation NI chairman Liam Kelly said: “Some of our student officers have said their previous employers, especially in the hospitality trade, are asking them if they’d be willing to work a shift, and the reality is they’d be paid better for that shift than working a shift in the police, which is incredible”.

Recently released data shows that 49 probationary constables, starting on a basic salary of £21,000, quit in the past financial year – up from 25 during the previous 12 months.

Responding to a special edition of the PFNI magazine Police Beat, which focuses on the impact of the cost of living crisis on serving officers, Mr Nesbitt said: "This is a stark illustration of the human cost of the current financial crisis on the people we rely on to keep society safe.

"Probationary officers are leaving at one end. Senior, experienced officers are moving on at the other end, and in between, officers at all grades are feeling under-valued. The overall impact is fast approaching a crisis similar to that happening in the NHS, except police officers cannot take the same industrial action as nurses to bring a focus to their plight.”

Mr Nesbitt said that while officers numbers can be boosted with more recruits, it could take many years to replace the wealth of experience that is being lost.

He added: "It does no one justice to see a police officer take a second job to make ends meet. In fact, I find that appalling, as would my late father or grandfather. We are supposed to be a first world country.

"There is a real issue with regard to the disrespect we show our public servants whose calling is to professions such as policing and nursing, which results in a clear and deeply negative impact on the public they desire to serve. That is why I believe we need the Assembly back now."