Northern Ireland immigration riots: NI to borrow 120 Scottish police officers – but Federation and Policing Board say this shows PSNI is at 'breaking point'
The PSNI is to be reinforced by 120 Scottish officers to cope with ongoing street violence – but officers and the Policing Board says the news underlines how desperately understaffed the service really is.
Police have come under sustained attack in the wake of anti-immigration protests in Belfast last weekend.
A police vehicle was doused with petrol and set alight with officers and members of the public attacked and two businesses destroyed in violence across Belfast.
So far police have made 17 arrests with 11 suspects charged to court.
The PSNI told the News Letter on Thursday that the Chief Constable had asked Police Scotland - via the National Police Coordination Centre - for four Police Support Units, amounting to around 120 officers.
"We expect them from Tuesday to the following Sunday," the PSNI spokeswoman added.
On Wednesday night the PSNI announced that it was partially mobilising its officers, meaning rest days are cancelled and extended shifts were being introduced.
On Thursday morning, the Chair of the Police Federation for Northern Ireland, Liam Kelly, said the request for officers from GB forces shows how cuts have eroded the Service.
Mr Kelly said: “We have seen nights of violence with officers working long hours – being necessitated to give up rest days and annual leave to be on duty to maintain order. The same cadre of officers cannot be expected to continue to do this for any protracted period, so I welcome the PSNI request for Mutual Aid to be deployed to support them.
“Due to successive deficit budgets, we are already without ten Level One Public Order crews – two units of fifty highly trained officers – which adds enormous pressure onto the remaining specialist units. This situation cannot continue indefinitely and ultimately is unsustainable.”
He said that Mutual Aid from other police forces is "a last resort".
"After another night of trouble, this time in east Belfast, for resilience, officer welfare and public confidence the Chief Constable had no choice but to ask for outside help," he said. "We know our sister forces themselves are under considerable pressure because of protests and counter-demonstrations and it is unclear at this stage just how much assistance they can provide and for how long."
There is a Government commitment in England and Wales to recruit 13,000 more officers but in contrast, Northern Ireland policing is "in reverse".
"Officer numbers currently sit at 6,430 on paper and that is over 1,000 fewer than the Patten envisaged peacetime minimum and up to 2,000 less on what is actually required.
"“This is a glaring example of the consequences of 10 years of cuts on policing and the failure of Stormont to award an appropriate budget. It cannot go on. We’re at breaking point and must have direct action by both our own and the UK Government."
Policing Board Chair Mukesh Sharma expressed almost identical concerns.
"The Board has serious concerns about resourcing levels within policing, and the capability and capacity of the service to meet everyday policing," he said on Thursday morning. "The events of the last week have brought this into even sharper focus.
"Whilst the Chief Constable has moved to secure mutual aid in the interim, resourcing of policing to ensure a safe society for all needs urgent attention.”