The Police Service of Northern Ireland welcomes the publication of the Criminal Justice Inspection Northern Ireland (CJINI) inspection report on Community Safety and Local Policing Arrangements in Northern Ireland Inspection.

Assistant Chief Constable for Local Policing, Bobby Singleton said: “We welcome the inspection report and accept all of the recommendations that relate to the Police Service.  This report is both very timely and very helpful as we work through the current budgetary challenges facing policing.

"We are not surprised by the findings and this now provides us with an evidence base to understand and more importantly to recognise the contribution that our Neighbourhood officers, as individuals and teams, have made to policing with the community.

"Neighbourhood Policing is the style of policing that engages with communities and partners and is a fundamental element of policing with the community.

"What a future policing budget looks like going forward will of course determine how much Neighbourhood policing we can deliver and we are now in danger of having Neighbourhood policing in name only.

"Our Neighbourhood Delivery Board has already commenced work to look at the recommendations and will seek to address all of them within the timescales."

Read the Criminal Justice Inspection report into Community Safety and Local Policing Arrangements in Northern Ireland.