The death of journalist Lyra McKee has not reduced dissident violence in the North, the head of the PSNI said on Saturday.
Chief Constable George Hamilton said the threat from republicans remains “highly likely” – as it has been for the past five years – in the wake of her killing.
He told RTE’s Brendan O’Connor: “Sadly we haven’t seen any let-up in violent dissident activity. We’ve seen further attacks.
“We’ve prevented bombings and shootings and that tells me we should not be complacent. I don’t think we’ve crossed any significant lines.”
Lyra, 29, was shot dead by dissident republican group the New IRA while observing clashes with police in the Creggan area of Derry on April 18.
Mr Hamilton said while her death prompted widespread condemnation there was an urgent need for political and community activists to build
on this.
He added: “I do think there has been a change but whether or not it’s the sea change we had hoped for whereby these people would not be able to operate within these communities.
“It remains a significant problem. They’re meting out more pain and punishment on their own communities than anyone else.” Mr Hamilton, who retires from the Police Service of Northern Ireland this weekend, told RTE Radio One’s Marian Finucane Show officers still faced dangers on a daily basis.
He said: “Just a few weeks ago a serving officer discovered after a morning round of golf a bomb had been put under his car.
“It was a fully viable device, it
did not activate for some reason.
Had it exploded it would have killed him and potentially other people in the vicinity.
“Some people want to take us back to the past and create conflict. That is the mindset of 40 years ago. It did not work then and it does not work now.”
The outgoing police chief said it remained a regret that officers were still “routinely armed” despite the air of optimism that followed the Good Friday Agreement.
He said: “Some people want to take us back to the past and create conflict. That is the mindset of 40 years ago.
“It did not work then and it does not work now.”
Mr Hamilton also warned that a no-deal Brexit would open the floodgates for organised crime gangs.
He said greater resources would be needed to police the border but he remains “pretty confident” officers north and south were ready for the challenge.
