The Police Federation for Northern Ireland has expressed concern over declining officer numbers, warning that immediate action is needed to restore acceptable staffing levels. This follows PSNI Chief Constable Jon Boutcher’s report to the policing board, revealing that only 4,500 of the force’s 6,400 officers are deployable, with the remainder on sick leave or restricted duties.
Federation Chairman Liam Kelly noted that the force had lost 42 more officers in the last month, further exacerbating the strain on the PSNI. Chief Constable Boutcher announced a three-year recovery plan to increase officer numbers to 7,000 but emphasised the urgent need for proper funding and warned that further reductions were unsustainable.
Recent race riots in Belfast forced the PSNI to extend shifts, cancel rest days, and call in 80 officers from Police Scotland. Boutcher highlighted years of underfunding, resulting in a £34 million budget shortfall and a less resilient workforce. The Police Federation urged the Northern Ireland Executive to prioritise funding for the recovery plan to restore policing effectiveness swiftly.
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