In her address to the Police Federation of Northern Ireland (PFNI) annual conference, she praised officers for their commitment and bravery following dissident attacks in Lurgan and Dunmurry.

She said: “The ability of the PSNI officers to immediately and effectively respond in such dangerous circumstances, protecting life and our communities, demonstrates the commitment to the role. Public confidence is strengthened not by the absence of threat, but by the visible competence and bravery of those responding to it.”

Addressing officers, she pledged her commitment to strengthen the legal protections for police officers who face violence in the line of duty through the Criminal Justice (Sentencing etc) Bill, which was introduced to the Northern Ireland Assembly in March. 

The legislation creates a new offence of assaulting a person performing a public duty or delivering a public service. It will carry stronger maximum penalties and provides for a statutory aggravator so that the fact the victim was a serving officer is clearly recognised during sentencing.

Ms Long said: “I believe that violence directed at police officers is not only an attack on the individual - it is an attack on the rule of law and on the safety of the wider community.

“As PSNI officers you deserve respect, protection and the full backing of the justice system. Through this Bill, and through continued engagement with policing partners, I will continue to work to ensure that our laws stand firmly behind those who stand on the frontline for all of us. I remain confident that the Bill will complete its passage before the end of the current mandate and receive Royal Assent shortly thereafter.”

She also made clear that she would continue to press for the necessary resource that is needed to deliver the best possible policing service, but this was against a bleak financial backdrop. 

“In this coming year alone, we are projecting resource stabilisation pressures in excess of £100m and that is before taking account of further exceptional liabilities. To be blunt, I have never known the financial picture to be as bad as it is right now.

“We cannot overlook the ongoing impact of funding investigations into the legacy of our past. The PSNI estimates the cost of legacy litigation alone to be £100m. That is funding that could be redirected elsewhere to ease some of the significant pressures being felt day in and day out from right across the justice system.

“No other police force has to deal with these hangovers from the past and I am clear that we cannot continue to absorb these costs any longer. We must ensure we have adequate funding to support all investigations and ensure that we can protect our communities in the present. I do not accept that these costs are ours to bear and I am determined that it is the UK Government – not the Executive - that should provide proper and adequate funding to deal with legacy issues.”