Malicious attacks on police cars cost £1.6m to repar
The cost of repairing police vehicles after malicious attacks has cost the tax-payer over £1.6m over the past five years.
The information emerged after SDLP MLA Thomas Burns asked an Assembly Question to the Justice Minister.
Mr Burns said the attacks were a "huge drain on police resources" and took money out of the policing budget.
"These figures also underline the risk which police put themselves under in the course of their duty," he said.
"The significant reduction in the number of malicious attacks on police vehicles since 2005 is very welcome and signals a move toward the normalisation of the police service, although we still have a long way to go."