Northern Ireland Policing Board HQ security warning
The Northern Ireland Policing Board has been told it will have to either spend millions to improve security at its headquarters or move to new premises.
The board has become a target for attacks by dissident republicans who left a 400lb car bomb outside its headquarters in Belfast in November.
The bomb failed to explode but police said that if it had, the docks area of the city would have been destroyed.
The PSNI believe there is a substantial risk of another attack on the building.
They have warned that security needs to be improved.
At a special private meeting of the Policing Board on Thursday, members were told of a number of options.
They include making the area around the building a pedestrian zone, spending about £2m to bomb-proof the building, and even moving to new offices in a more secure location.
BBC Northern Ireland’s Home Affairs Correspondent, Vincent Kearney, said he understood that moving to new offices was “the least favoured option”, but added that nothing has been ruled out at this stage.
Board members are expected to discuss the options again next week.
