News that just two out of 53 PSNI officers who applied for promotion actually made it through the selection process has sparked controversy.

"There is obviously a major problem," said Robin Newton, East Belfast Councillor and DUP MLA, (pictured, left).

He said the recruitment predicament caused by the failure of adequate police numbers to secure promotion into the top ranks must be laid at the door of Patten - the architect of the groundbreaking NI policing reforms that saw the demise of the RUC and the introduction of 50/50 recruitment to the new PSNI.

"The Patten report, driven by a political agenda rather than a policing programme, is the cause of the problems in securing adequately qualified and experienced officers to fill senior vacancies in the PSNI.

"It has long been suspicion among unionists that in letting experienced RUC officers leave the force under an accelerated redundancy programme create gaps would that would be difficult to fill," he said.

"There is obviously a gap in police officer experience that must be addressed as a matter of urgency to ensure the growing confidence of the public in policing is maintained."

The 53 chief inspectors had all applied for promotion to the rank of superintendent.

Despite there being 17 vacancies, just two were promoted, news that came soon after just six out of 24 superintendents being promoted to the rank of chief superintendent in February.

UUP NI Policing Board member Basil McCrea (pictured, right) said the failure of a large number of middle-ranking police officers to secure promotion to senior posts is leading to a vacuum at the top of the PSNI.

Assistant Chief Constable Dave Jones headed the last interview panel and is said to have thought that the majority of officers were "not experienced enough for promotion".

Many of the most senior police officers in Northern Ireland have left in recent years through the Patten severance scheme and a high number of the posts still remain vacant.

(BMcC)