FORMER police chiefs have warned quitting the European Union will make Britain less safe and urged voters not to "gamble with our security".
In an open letter, they insisted leaving the bloc would put the country at a disadvantage in the fight against terrorism and organised crime.
The group, which includes former PSNI chief constables Sir Matt Baggott and Sir Hugh Order, said claims the UK is more vulnerable if it remains a member lack credibility, arguing that "all the evidence" shows the opposite.
"The EU helps our police forces to work together, making it harder for criminals and terrorists to evade justice," they wrote.
"The arrest of Hussain Osman, who plotted a bomb attack in London and tried to flee to Italy, was thanks to European Arrest Warrant.
"We do not believe that staying in Europe makes us more vulnerable, it is not credible to argue so, all the evidence is to the contrary. We can see no case for taking such a gamble with our security that leaving the EU would entail."
Home office minister James Brokenshire said Britain must work "even more closely" with other EU countries in the fight against terror.
"The firm view from those with significant frontline experience of fighting organised crime and terrorism is that we gain clear security benefits by remaining in the EU," he said.
"Britain gets the best of both worlds by harnessing our access to EU security systems in combination with our enduring intelligence relationships with partners like the US.
"At a time of continuing terrorist threat our domestic security requires us to work even more closely with our European partners.
"It's difficult to see how we can possibly do this by shouting from the sidelines rather than sitting at the table as an equal member."
Labour former home secretary Charles Clarke said: "Michael Gove might not want to hear from experts but I trust the opinion of those who have spent their careers fighting crime and terrorism.
"These distinguished police chiefs who know a thing or two about our security could not be clearer - we are safer in the EU than we would be out on our own."
As well as Sir Matt and Sir Hugh the group includes ex-Scotland Yard chiefs Lord Blair and Lord Condon, Sir Peter Fahy, former chief constable of Greater Manchester Police, Sir Paul Scott-Lee, former chief constable of Suffolk Constabulary and Peter Neyroud, former chief constable of Thames Valley Police.
