Any further reduction in the number of experienced officers serving in the PSNI will make it more difficult for the force to tackle the dissident republican threat, the president of the Police Superintendents’ Association of Northern Ireland has warned.

Chief Superintendent Michael Skuce told Justice Minister David Ford that the reduction in the number 0of experienced officers due to the disbandment of the full-time reserve and officers leaving the force under the Police Severance Scheme “will not be easy to overcome”.

He said that if there are further reductions due to lack of funding “then it is difficult to see how the necessary protection can be provided”.

Mr Skuce, who is retiring from the force and standing down as president of the association, said the terrorist threat has become more serious with many attempts to murder or seriously injure members of the PSNI.

Speaking at the association’s annual general meeting he added that from the start of the year 24 officers and their families have been forced to move home after receiving death threats.

He urged Mr Ford to ensure adequate funding is always available “to provide protection for this community, including its police officers and to deal with the terrorist threat”.

Mr Skuce added: “Policing in Northern Ireland, much as we all may want it to be, is not the norm. The additional burden on policing and on police funding here is the additional cost of providing security because of the terrorist threat. It is vital and important that this is not lost in the rounds of negotiations about budgets.

“The protection of the community from terrorists is essential. Such protection is not without financial burden and that burden must be met.”

Budgets in Northern Ireland are centrally funded, but Mr Skuce asked the minister to examine the possibility of giving district councils the power to raise money through their rates to improve policing in their areas. This could prove to be a controversial move if adopted.

Mr Skuce however said: “Certainly when we talk about the social responsibility of members of the community standing up and becoming engaged with policing, then what would more prompt such action than having to pay for some of the policing in your own area?”