Statement by TUV security spokesperson and Fermanagh and South Tyrone Assembly candidate Alex Elliott:

“I cannot believe that Jimmy Spratt and the DUP were so easily conned by the Chief Constable’s Office. According to the one-time Police Federation Chairman, “They told us (the DUP)there was no longer any need for the Full Time Reserve”. The DUP of course gave the nod for this to happen but never asked how the shortfall would be made up.

“Our own party has warned continuously of the threat facing our country and the need to retain officers; but yet the DUP and other Unionists allowed the Full-time Reserve to be dumped on the redundancy scrapheap.

“The reality is and always has been; that the PSNI cannot survive without the Reserve unless the Chief Constable throws £m’s at overtime as well as stripping back resources from other frontline policing services. This is exactly what is happening to the £250m recently donated to the Policing budget

“ Shame on DUP for failing to fulfill their public responsibilities in ensuring sufficient and effective policing for our community. The dumping of our Reservists for the sake of political expediency is a criminal act.”