Get tough on terrorists and criminals, North police chief tells judges
Chief Constable Hugh Orde said courts were softer than those in the Republic and Britain where they "throw away the key".
Speaking in New York, Mr Orde said he was determined to see terrorists jailed.
"I don't mind how I lock these people up, but what I do care about is that I lock them up," he said.
"It would be awfully helpful if the judges ... could lock them up for slightly longer.
"We seem to have a problem, where sentences compared to London are lenient."
He said that in the Republic the courts were even more hard-line. There they "throw away the key", he told guests and members of the National Committee on American Foreign Policy.
As an example of the soft sentences in the North, he said a terrorist or criminal jailed for carrying a loaded gun could be released within one year.
Mr Orde also said it was essential the political impasse in the North was solved before the marching season. Lack of political progress could lead to violence on the streets, he said.
He encouraged Sinn Féin to take the "brave" step of joining the Northern Ireland Policing Board although he could not envisage that happening within the next few months.
Mr Orde said the Policing Board was not representative of the North's people without the involvement of Sinn Féin.
"They are the second biggest party in Northern Ireland and they're not on the Policing Board. That, in my view, is not right," he said.
"Sinn Féin needs to be... brave and take that step," he said, but added: "It wouldn't make my life easy."
Mr Orde also promised to co-operate with any inquiries the British Government might set up in light of the forthcoming report by retired Canadian judge Peter Cory.
Judge Cory has investigated four controversial killings in the North and subsequent allegations that British security services colluded with loyalist killers.
However, Mr Orde said he could not imagine the British government establishing major public inquiries into the deaths like the Bloody Sunday inquiry simply because of the cost.
Mr Orde said any serving officers criticised in the Cory Report could be referred to policing ombudsman Nuala O'Loan.
Even if he decided not to refer such officers she had the right to "self-refer", he said. He said he was sure there would be an inquiry "of some type" as a result of the Cory Report.
