PSNI should be 'front and centre' of programme for government says Chief Constable Boutcher

PSNI Chief Constable Jon Boutcher has said he would be concerned if the PSNI is not 'front and centre' of the Executive's programme for government.

Mr Boutcher was speaking at a meeting of the Northern Ireland Policing Board where he revealed a recovery plan to increase the number of police officers over the next three years.

After facing criticism for asking the Prime Minister for more money, the Chief Constable insists he did not break any protocol and was entitled to do so.It comes after one of the most senior civil servants in Northern Ireland accused the head of the police of overstepping the mark in making the pleas for money.

At the Policing Board meeting on Thursday, the Chief Constable rejected that criticism He said: “I disagree strongly with any rebuke about me approaching the Prime Minister. This is something I was entitled to do. 

“I did not breach any protocol or any principle. The funding and effectiveness of the PSNI engages the interests and responsibilities of both the devolved and Westminster governments. 

“I will communicate with both as I see fit and I do not need authority or approval to do so.

A recovery plan was also revealed which would see officer numbers increase to 7,000 within three years. That is still 500 short of where most people agree the PSNI should be and 1,000 short of what the chief constable believes he needs.The Justice Minister Naomi Long has been clear that there are mechanisms to make that caseShe said: “Collectively, we need to make as an Executive that case to the Treasury and to the Prime Minister. 

“However sympathetic they may be, we will only get that money through the Executive route. 

“We will only get that money when we get that agreement with the Treasury, and that requires us to provide the evidence. 

“This isn't about the department versus the police. 

“It's not about the Executive versus the department. 

“It's not even about the UK government versus the Executive. 

“It is about us all recognising that the role that the police and the justice system play in our society is critical. 

“It is a life and death issue, and we need to fund it properly.”With the Executive poised to reveal details of the programme for government, the PSNI would be keen that the plan has a focus on policing. “We are waiting to hear the details of the draught programme for government. 

“I would very much be concerned if the PSNI and our current position around funding and resourcing is not front and centre of the programme for government. 

“ I will be waiting to see what that looks like keenly, hopefully today but whenever that draught programme is produced.”This recovery plan is ambitious, the business case spanning more than a hundred pages.

It would mean training 500 new officers a year.

If the plan goes ahead, the PSNI will have to navigate capacity at the PSNI training college and a £34 million budgetary shortfall.

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