Urgent action needed to halt decline in deployable operational PSNI officers, warns PFNI
Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) deployable operational officer numbers have dipped below 4,500 with no clear end in sight to the slide in service strength, according to the Police Federation for Northern Ireland (PFNI).
The latest figures show a total of 6,298 officers but when student officers are deducted, the figure drops to 6,197. When sickness absence and duty restrictions also factored in, the chief constable confirmed to the Northern Ireland Policing Board (NIPB), that only 4,500 are deployable for the full range of operational duties.
Concerns were raised at a meeting of the NIPB on Thursday (September 5) in the wake of the “racially motivated attacks” across the country.
It noted that the capacity of PSNI to respond to these incidents was “undermined by cuts in officer numbers and budget pressures”, in particular the reduction in neighbourhood officers from a level of 900 to 500”
Board chair Mukesh Sharma MBE DL said: “The Board has discussed, sought to highlight, and supported numerous chief constables in their lobby against cuts to police funding in Northern Ireland.
“Over the course of the summer, the seriousness and detrimental impact of the PSNI’s financial situation has come to a head. This is unacceptable, and untenable.
“At today’s meeting, the Board recorded its thanks to those officers and staff who had to work around the clock during disorder and to the Police Scotland officers who provided PSNI with mutual aid.
“We will continue to support the chief constable in lobbying for appropriate funding and as discussed in today’s public session, will continue to stress the importance of prioritising policing through the Programme for Government.
“The safety of the people in Northern Ireland is, in our view, non-negotiable.”
PFNI chair Liam Kelly says another month has gone by and officer numbers continue to reduce unabated.
Mr Kelly said: “Our service strength reduced by another 42 officers in the last month. I have previously warned that our Executive is sleep-walking policing towards oblivion.
“The PFNI will need to examine the draft Programme for Government announced today to establish what is envisaged specifically for policing. Safer communities and an end of violence towards women and girls are two of the suggested Executive priorities.
“To attain these, the PSNI will require significant financial investment so that policing has the effective capacity and capability to deliver both these aspirations along with the whole range of policing services that our society expects and needs.
“We certainly do not want to see any repeat of the unfulfilled commitments to increasing police numbers as pledged under New Decade New Approach.”
He added: “Time is not on our side. I know preparatory work is currently underway to produce a business case for more resources – a recovery plan to try to bring police officer numbers back up towards 7,000 over the next three years.
“We welcome this, but it urgently needs to be funded and put into action as expeditiously as possible. The dithering and procrastination need to stop so that policing can effectively recover as quickly as possible.
“That can only benefit our society and assist the brave women and men of the PSNI that I represent.”