Alex Easton MLA has today called upon the Justice Minister and Finance Minister to stop messing about and speed up the process to release funding for the recruitment of more PSNI officers to get up to the 7,500 levels.
Speaking today Alex Easton MLA said:
“I am frustrated at the length of time this whole process is taking, the PSNI are critically and dangerously undermanned with 600 officers needing recruited now, and with only an extra 100 being recruited next year. We as elected representatives have a duty of care to ensure we provide the resources needed to ensure the PSNI is fully up to strength and has our full support to maintain law and order and safety for our population in Northern Ireland and it is clear the Justice Minister and Finance Minister are not doing enough for our over stretched police force.”
“The New Decade, New Approach was agreed last year and it is now coming on towards the end of 2021 and there has been little movement on this important issue. The Justice Minister needs to push the Finance minister to progress the case to proceed to Outline Business Case stage for an additional 600 officers at a cost of £40 million per annum as a matter of urgency, with only £2.5m enabling the recruitment of 100 officers for 2021/22 is just not quick enough or good enough from the Ministers.
I fully expect to hear as a matter of urgency that both Ministers have progressed this further in the near future as I will be watching closely and will continue asking question if they don’t speed the recruitment up”
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