The Northern Ireland chief constable is understood to have pressed the Policing Board for the retention of the full-time police reserve for another three years.
And some politicians and judges may lose their bodyguards as part of a major re-deployment in a bid to ease the policing manpower crisis.
Chief Constable Hugh Orde, who met members of his board in Belfast, today sought its members' backing to retain nearly 2,000 reservists who were due to go.
As advertisements for an extra l00 experienced detectives appeared for the first time in the Police Reviewmagazine, Mr Orde presented a strategy document outlining his plans for the next three years.
His force is desperately under resourced, and he is attempting to transfer more and more officers away from administrative and static security duties unto the streets.
This will involve scaling down the close personal protection unit, which looks after the security of senior members of the judiciary, lawyers, Unionist politicians and other VIPs, some of whom have had bodyguards for over 20 years.
Even though the terrorist threat by dissident republicans and loyalist paramilitaries remains high, security chiefs believe their services would be much better deployed dealing with rising crime levels.
A recruitment agency has also been hired to find an extra 1,000 civilian staff, who will free up more officers desk bound with administrative work. Mr Orde had talks today with members of the personnel and general purposes committee, but it will be next week before the board meets to consider his plans.
PA