Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) today published its report on the PSNI’s treatment of its workforce and the people of Northern Ireland.

HM Inspector of Constabulary Matt Parr said the inspection, which was commissioned by the Department of Justice, found that the force had “done well to inspire confidence”.

He said: “The service treats the public fairly and respectfully. There are signs that the historically difficult relationship between the PSNI and some Catholic communities is improving.

“We have made recommendations for how the service can make further improvements.”

However, the report warns that the PSNI “does not monitor its use of force or stop and search powers closely enough”. Because of this, it “can’t currently be sure its use of force is always fair and necessary”.

Inspectors warned that statistics published twice a year on the PSNI’s use of force “aren’t thoroughly audited and, because of the under-reporting problem, they are almost certainly inaccurate”.

At present, all PSNI officers carry a handgun but only specialist firearms officers and other authorised firearms officers deployed in armed response vehicles carry conducted energy devices (CEDs), such as Tasers.

The HMIC report recommends that the PSNI should consult on making CEDs “available to more officers” because they represent a less lethal alternative to handguns and a less risky alternative to incapacitant sprays such as CS or pepper spray.

It states: “Whenever officers (in any force) draw firearms, the potential for them to shoot someone is present. Doing so carries a very high risk of inflicting fatal injury. While the use of CEDs isn’t without risk, it is relatively lower. In some situations, CEDs offer a less lethal option for officers.”