Plans to reduce the number of policing districts in Northern Ireland could undermine efforts to tackle community crime, a new report warned today.
Under Government plans to reform local authorities and other public bodies, it is expected there will be eight districts from 2009 instead of the current 29.
However, Police Oversight Commissioner Al Hutchinson warned this could affect intelligence-gathering on the ground.
"While there is no denying the advantages offered by merging district council areas for the sake of both governance and policing efficiency, adapting to the Review of Public Administration has the potential to at least temporarily disrupt local police and community relationships, relationships which have been developed and carefully nurtured by all concerned over a long period of time," he said.
"There is also an inherent risk to the decision-making authority of the leadership of neighbourhood policing teams, as DCU Commanders grow geographically more distant from their neighbourhoods and their local policing partners."
Mr Hutchinson said the proposed devolution of policing and justice powers to the Assembly would be a step forward, but warned of the consequences of political failure.
"As long as collective politics continue to fail policing in Northern Ireland, and society fails to give its support to policing, the success of further policing reforms will be impeded."
The Oversight Commissioner recorded there were more than 2,000 officers with less than five years experience in the service after the recruitment competitions to attract Catholic officers.
"Unfortunately the absence of stable leadership in the position of director of training has become a chronic problem in its own right, and continuity and sustainability should become a major focus of effort for the Policing Board and the Police Service," he said.
PA