Chief Constable calls for multi-agency approach to tackle drugs deaths

In the past three weeks alone, there has been a series of fatalities due to drug abuse in the Greater Belfast area with many of those linked to prescription medication.

Northern Ireland has the highest prescriptions rate in the UK

But George Hamilton says the issue can't just be left at the police's doorstep - calling for a multi-agency approach instead:

"It's of interest to police, people who have them have often obtained them illegally and we will deal with them," he said.

"There are lives being wrecked and lives being lost here, and it's primarily a public health response that we need.

"Police need to be engaged in that, supporting it, but we shouldn't think that police have the answer to dealing with drugs deaths."

The Chief Constable says his hands are somewhat tied when it comes to allocating resources to deal with the drugs problem here, as Stormont is still collapsed.

He says it's time for the politicians to step up and help police by allowing them to plan beyond a daily basis:

"Not having an Executive, not having a firm allocated budget by February to start planning for next year is really difficult.

"We don't know what we have to spend, how many we can recruit.

"In the three and a half years since I have been Chief Constable, we have seen £144m come out of the police budget and in the past 10 years there has been a 38% reduction."

And without a budget agreed for the financial year ahead, it looks like the problem could get worse before it gets better.