Justice Minister confirms PSNI recruitment funding and police officer pay uplift
Following the December monitoring round, the Justice Minister has confirmed funding for the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) recruitment and the full recommended pay uplift for police officers will now be available.
The Northern Ireland Department of Justice has been allocated £11.6 million, including £7 million for PSNI recruitment and £4.7 million for an uplift to police pay.
Naomi Long said: “It is crucial that the PSNI can recruit and retain highly skilled and motivated people – and pay plays an important role in achieving this. I am, therefore, pleased that following my representations, police officers have been recognised on the same basis as our health and education colleagues in the December monitoring round, as a result I am now able to fund this year’s police pay uplift in full.
“This is a welcome step forward and I will now work with the chief constable to get this much-deserved uplift into officers’ pockets as quickly as possible.
“I want to acknowledge the dedication and professionalism of PSNI officers, who demonstrate the best of policing under significant pressure. Officers and staff have shown tremendous resilience in keeping our communities safe in difficult circumstances, and I am hugely grateful for their service and commitment.”
The Minister has also welcomed £7 million to meet the full cost of Year 1 of the PSNI’s workforce recovery plan.
“I have been absolutely clear that rebuilding policing capacity is one of my highest priorities and am pleased to have been able to secure this funding to meet Year 1 of the PSNI’s workforce recovery plan,” she said. “Looking ahead, policing requires sustained multi-year funding, to enable the Service to plan, recruit, train and retain with confidence, and I will continue advocating for this as part of the 3-year budget setting process.”
PSNI Chief Constable Jon Boutcher said: “I welcome the announcement that the Northern Ireland Executive is to distribute funding to cover a pay award for our police officers, bolster the first year of the PSNI Recovery Plan and the Justice Minister’s update on data breach compensation.
“Since taking up post as chief constable, I have been relentless in making sure that my voice has been heard to ensure our officers get the pay award that they deserve. We will continue to work closely with colleagues in the Department of Justice and the Department of Finance to ensure this award is swiftly delivered to our officers.
“More work is needed in terms of delivering on the Recovery Plan and funding of recruitment, but this is a significant step.
“I further welcome the Justice Minister’s announcement today on funding being secured for the data breach compensation. I am yet to receive official notification of what this will look like but it is another important step in recognising the impact this has had on our officers and staff, and allowing clarity and reassurance for those affected.
“It signals that the government recognises the seriousness and importance of delivering a fair and timely resolution. Claimants can now have confidence that a settlement process will progress next year and I will be able to provide more detail on that when I receive it from the minister’s office.”
The Police Federation for Northern Ireland (PFNI) says the financial allocation to cover the police pay award and the first year of the PSNI Recovery Plan is “a welcome end to uncertainty and doubt”.
PFNI chair Liam Kelly says the 4.2 per cent pay award, currently running four months late, will come as a relief for officers and their families.
Similarly, the first tranche of funding for the Recovery Plan “puts us on the first rung of the ladder towards a much-needed expansion in officer numbers”, he said.
Mr Kelly said: “The intention is to reach 7,000 officers by 2028 and I hope sufficient substantial resources will be provided over the next two years to help us reach that target.
“Pay is an annual challenge which frankly needs streamlined and simplified. We have too much bureaucracy involved and all that does is cause unnecessary delay.
“Retaining pay parity with colleagues in England and Wales was an important element here and I welcome retention of this link.
“In overall terms, this is a welcome end to uncertainty and doubt over both items. Policing is set to get £11.6 million but I have to say that given the state of Northern Ireland finances, doubt remains over the much larger allocation that is required next year to significantly boost recruitment.”