Police officers who were given big pay-offs and pensions as part of policing reforms in the North are back working for the force as civilians because of a manpower shortage, it was confirmed today.
So many officers have left under Sir Chris Patten's reforms that the new Police Service of Northern Ireland already has less officers than he proposed would be an appropriate minimum number to police Northern Ireland in ten years time - provided terrorist violence and street disorder was at an end.
A Police Service of Northern Ireland spokesman: "There are loads of people back doing things they did as police officers."
One section understood to have re-recruited officers as civilian technicians is the Fingerprint Bureau where it takes years to train operatives to the high standards required.
The Patten report said 7,500 full time members of the PSNI would be appropriate, but the number has already fallen to 7,076, said a spokesman.
Of the total 86 are on long-term service abroad - in places such as Bosnia - leaving 6,990 available officers.
Several hundred more are due to leave in the next few weeks under the Patten reforms and the first recruits in training - equal numbers of Catholics and Protestants - are not yet through the training school.
There is a growing shortage of officers at senior ranks including one deputy chief constable, four assistant chief constables and scores of chief superintendents, superintendents and chief inspectors.
Sir Ronnie Flanagan retires as Chief Constable at the end of the month - after putting off his departure by a month at the request of the Policing Board - and advertisements for his replacement have yet to be placed.
Mr Finlay Spratt, chairman of the Police Federation of Northern Ireland which represents rank-and-file officers, said it was "absurd" officers leaving the force were having to come back as civilians.
"The government is responsible for this mess because it tried to please one political party without a thought as to the impact it would have on policing," he said.
"With rising crime and virtually no police on the streets, the chickens have come home to roost."
PA