The Northern Ireland Policing Board today began a recruitment drive to find over 200 members of the public to sit on the network of District Policing Partnerships (DPP).
The recruitment campaign is needed following new legislation that came into effect at the start of September requiring the majority of DPPs to be reconstituted - only those in Banbridge, Ballymena and Coleraine are excluded.
Board chairman Prof Sir Desmond Rea urged people who wanted to play a part in the life of their community to make themselves known.
He said: "This year has seen many significant changes in the life of Northern Ireland and one of the most welcome and historic has been the attainment of full political support for policing."
The DPPs offer the opportunity for local people to have a say on how local areas are being policed.