The PSNI could struggle to recruit and retain officers due to pay and funding, the chief constable has warned.
Simon Byrne, the PFNI Chair and the Justice Minister have all voiced concerns about the future of policing in Northern Ireland.
The trio have said that if funding and pay awards are not increased, the PSNI could struggle to recruit new officers and retain current staff.
"Already we're seeing officers leaving the service, particularly if they're joining as junior officers," said Chief Constable Simon Byrne.
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"The relative rate of pay, just around £25,000, it goes up a little bit with other allowances and overtime, is not a lot if you're trying to manage a family and run a budget.
"So some people recognise that they can get far more money back in the private sector and we're seeing that happen already.
"I think the general concern as well is being recognised as individuals for the contributions they make, and that the whole pay and recognition is about being valued."
The Chief Constable has also said that with current budgets in place (no new budget can be agreed without an Executive sitting), the PSNI is set to lose 1,000 officers in the next three years.
Outgoing PFNI Chair Mark Lindsay previously told Belfast Live that his organisation was looking at ways to change legislation to allow police officers to take industrial action.
Police officers cannot do that legally under current law, but Mr Lindsay said it reflected the growing anger over pay and conditions.
"We lose about 350-400 officers every year, next year there's only funding to recruit 85," he said.
"So you can straight away see the difficulty.
"Some of them retire naturally but there's more and more people leaving and deciding that they've had enough.
"My concern is the amount of people who are leaving early to mid-service, who simply realise it's not worth it for the money.
"To be assaulted at work, to be constantly vilified in the media for doing your best and maybe finding that you're suspended or under investigation.
"I think people are looking at that more seriously now about going away and doing other jobs which actually show a bit more value, or at least less stress."
The Justice Minister Naomi Long said that police officers were not immune to the cost of living crisis across the UK and said it was a problem for those paid in the public sector as a whole.
"I think that there is always an impact on recruitment when it comes to the security of the positions, when it comes to salaries and terms and conditions.
"But most police officers would still say that policing and being a police officer is a good job, it is highly respected and it is reasonably well paid.
"But it doesn't insulate people from the challenges of the economic crisis that we're facing at the moment.
"That's why it's so important that at Westminster we get some better detail in terms of public pay policy more generally.
"I think we need to work together with the PFNI and the Department of Finance and with other Executive colleagues to recognise the fundamental contribution that policing makes not just to our security and safety but to our sense of wellbeing as a community."
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