Liberty Associate Director Mary Cunneen says:

"We welcome the increase in police recruitment. People have a right to be protected from crime - particularly violent crimes against the person. A better-resourced police force, more able to protect people using the existing criminal law, is a far better answer than some of the Government's 'quick-fix', shortcut schemes that undercut the basic principles of our criminal justice system".

NOTE TO EDITORS:
Liberty continues to call for a genuinely Independent Police Complaints Commission. We also continue to oppose proposals such as the civil confiscation of assets and the disclosure of previous convictions to juries: both undermine the basic principle that a person is innocent of a crime until proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt.

We anticipate with some concern the outcome of Mr Justice Auld's review of the criminal justice system - due to be published in late January or February.