Northern Ireland’s policing authority named a new chief on Tuesday, two months after the previous head quit following a series of damaging scandals.
The appointment of senior English police officer Jon Boutcher as Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) was approved by Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris.
One of two candidates for the role in the UK region — considered one of the most demanding jobs in UK policing — Boutcher replaces Simon Byrne, who resigned in September in the wake of several scandals that hit confidence in the region’s police.
A massive data breach involving the personal information of more than 10,000 staff came soon after the disciplining of two officers that was seen as bowing to political pressure, and later judged unlawful by a court.
Boutcher, who was Chief Constable of Bedfordshire Police in England from 2015 to 2019 and interim PSNI Chief Constable since last month, faces formidable challenges including financial pressures and lifting low morale.
Many officers and support staff quit in the wake of the data breach which saw sensitive information accidentally posted online and reaching dissident Irish republican paramilitary groups.
Officers in Northern Ireland have been subject to sporadic attacks by dissident republicans and the data breach sparked heightened security concerns.
Police in Northern Ireland were targeted frequently during the 30 years of conflict over British rule in Northern Ireland, which claimed more than 3,000 lives before the signing of 1998 peace accords.
AFP