THE PSNI has defended not issuing a public appeal for information about an attack on police in Co Antrim until being asked by The Irish News.
Officers were inside their police car in Larne when youths wearing ski masks pelted it with stones.
The car windscreen was broken and the bonnet and driver's door were damaged. No officers in the vehicle were injured.
Police were responding to a call from a member of the public when the attack happened on Monday at about 9.10pm in the Bengore Gardens area.
However, the PSNI only gave details about the incident the following afternoon after being contacted by The Irish News.
Sinn Féin's Oliver McMullan – who believes the attack was orchestrated by the UDA – has questioned whether police would have issued information in the absence of newspaper queries.
But the PSNI defended its response, saying officers had wanted to pursue a "definite line of enquiry" before issuing a public appeal.
A spokesman said: "The primary function of the PSNI's Department of Corporate Communications is to support frontline policing and as such, we proactively issue appeals for information based on investigative need.
"A media appeal is just one of many investigative tools a police officer can use when carrying out enquiries in relation to a particular crime and is issued following consultation with the relevant investigating officer as appropriate."
He added: "Police are following a definite line of enquiry in relation to this incident and wanted to pursue this before considering issuing a public appeal for information."
The PSNI on Tuesday said there is "no information to suggest that this was a paramilitary attack".
