District Policing Partnership (DPP) members could walk out amid claims that senior police are escaping scrutiny, a member of Castlereagh's branch claimed today.
Jimmy Spratt branded his DPP a toothless tiger after organisational changes to the policing structure meant the district commander did not appear at every meeting.
He claimed that breached the requirements of the Patten Report increasing accountability within the service.
"This issue will come to boiling point in the future and some members could question whether it is worth turning up," he said.
The head of policing in a particular area, including Castlereagh, appears before the DPP but the overarching authority, the district commander, is not obliged to appear regularly.
A PSNI spokeswoman said they were keen to make DPP meetings as local as possible. "The role of DPPs is to work with police to find local solutions to local policing problems. The most appropriate person attends DPP meetings," she said.
A spokeswoman for the Policing Board said the issue will be considered.
PA
