NAOMI Long has spoken of her "confidence" in under-fire PSNI chief constable Simon Byrne.
The former English police chief has faced a series of criticisms since his appointment in 2019.
Ms Long says Mr Byrne still has her backing adding "it would be fair to say that anyone coming to take the job of chief constable of the PSNI will have familiarised themselves with the landscape before they come here".
"They are senior police officers and they have had their challenges wherever they have worked in the past so they are not going to come here naively thinking it will be a simple job," she said.
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"Simon has learned on the job that perhaps it's even more complicated than sometimes it looks from afar.
"I have confidence because I see there is a genuine passion in terms of trying to get the best possible policing."
Established 20 years ago last week, the PSNI has faced renewed scrutiny over the reluctance of Catholics to join.
Ms Long believes there are several factors at play.
"Legacy casts a long shadow and for some still within communities there is a sense of uncertainty about whether or not it will be an acceptable role," she said.
"I think some people....will be interested but will find that...the consequences of the security level and threat level are that their lives would change if they joined and they are not willing to make that sacrifice, understandably.
"It would mean potentially not being able to continue to live where they live or go where they want to go and those are big sacrifices that police officers sadly still have to make because of the level of threat."
Ms Long added that despite the under-representation of Catholics in the PSNI she remains opposed to a return to 50-50 recruitment.
She added that she would rather look at the reasons why people aren't comfortable in joining "and tackling those barriers".
