Police Service of Northern Ireland

As part of the Good Friday Agreement, there was an agreement to introduce a new police service initially based on the body of constables of the RUC.^[12][13] As part of the reform, an Independent Commission on Policing for Northern Ireland (the Patten Commission) was set up, and the RUC was replaced by the PSNI on 4 November 2001.^[14][15] The Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2000 named the new police service as the Police Service of Northern Ireland (incorporating the Royal Ulster Constabulary); shortened to Police Service of Northern Ireland for operational purposes.^[13][16]

Although the majority of PSNI officers are Ulster Protestants, this dominance is not as pronounced as it was in the RUC because of positive action policies. The RUC was a militarised police force^[17][18][19] and played a key role in policing the violent conflict known as the Troubles.

Initially, Sinn Féin, which represented about a quarter of Northern Ireland voters at the time, refused to endorse the PSNI until the Patten Commission's recommendations were implemented in full. However, as part of the St Andrews Agreement, Sinn Féin announced its full acceptance of the PSNI in January 2007.^[20] All major political parties in Northern Ireland now support the PSNI.

The senior officer in charge of the PSNI is its chief constable. The chief constable is appointed by the Northern Ireland Policing Board, subject to the approval of the Minister of Justice for Northern Ireland. The Chief Constable of Northern Ireland is the third-highest paid police officer in the UK (after the Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police).^[21] The current chief constable is Jon Boutcher, who was appointed on an interim basis after the resignation of Simon Bryne in September 2023 and successful in being officially confirmed as chief constable on 7 November 2023.^[22]

The police area is divided into eight districts, each headed by a chief superintendent. Districts are divided into areas, commanded by a chief inspector; these in turn are divided into sectors, commanded by inspectors. In recent years, under new structural reforms, some chief inspectors command more than one area as the PSNI strives to make savings.

In 2001 the old police divisions and sub-divisions were replaced with 29 district command units (DCUs), broadly coterminous with local council areas. In 2007 the DCUs were replaced by eight districts ('A' to 'H') in anticipation of local government restructuring under the Review of Public Administration. Responsibility for policing and justice was devolved to the Northern Ireland Assembly on 9 March 2010, although direction and control of the PSNI remains under the chief constable.

In addition to the PSNI, there are other agencies which have responsibility for specific parts of Northern Ireland's transport infrastructure:

• Belfast Harbour Police
• Belfast International Airport Constabulary

PSNI officers have full powers of a constable throughout Northern Ireland and the adjacent United Kingdom waters. Other than in mutual aid circumstances they have more limited powers of a constable in the other two legal jurisdictions of the United Kingdom—England and Wales, and Scotland. Police staff, although non-warranted members of the service, contribute to both back-office, operational support and front-line services, sometimes operating alongside warranted colleagues.

The Patten Report recommended that a programme of long-term personnel exchanges should be established between the PSNI and the Garda Síochána, the national police force of Ireland. This recommendation was enacted in 2002 by an Inter-Governmental Agreement on Policing Cooperation, which set the basis for the exchange of officers between the two services.^[23] There are three levels of exchanges:

• Personnel exchanges, for all ranks, without policing powers and for a term up to one year
• Secondments: for ranks from sergeant to chief superintendent, with policing powers, for up to three years
• Lateral entry by the permanent transfer of officers for ranks above inspector and under assistant commissioner

The protocols for these movements of personnel were signed by both the Chief Constable of the PSNI and the Garda Commissioner on 21 February 2005.^[24]

The PSNI is supervised by the Northern Ireland Policing Board.

The Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland deals with any complaints regarding the PSNI, and investigates any allegations of misconduct by police officers. Police staff do not fall under the ombudsman's jurisdiction. The current Police Ombudsman is former Oversight Commissioner Michael Maguire, who took over from Al Hutchinson in July 2012. The Oversight Commissioner was appointed to ensure that the Patten recommendations were implemented 'comprehensively and faithfully', and attempted to assure the community that all aspects of the report were being implemented and being seen to be implemented. The oversight role ended on 31 May 2007, with the final report indicating that of Patten's 175 recommendations, 140 had been completed with a further 16 "substantially completed".^[25]

The PSNI is also internally regulated by its Professional Standards Department, who can direct local "professional standards champions" (superintendents at district level) to investigate relatively minor matters, while a "misconduct panel" will consider more serious misconduct issues. Outcomes from misconduct hearings include dismissal, a requirement to resign, reduction in rank, monetary fines and cautions.

 

 

The PSNI was initially legally obliged to operate an affirmative action policy of recruiting 50% of its trainee officers from a Catholic background and 50% from a non-Catholic background, as recommended by the Patten Report, in order to address the under-representation of Catholics that had existed for many decades in policing; in 2001 the RUC was almost 92% Protestant. Many unionist politicians said the "50:50" policy was unfair, and when the Bill to set up the PSNI was going through Parliament, Minister of State Adam Ingram stated: "Dominic Grieve referred to positive discrimination and we hold our hands up. Clause 43 refers to discrimination and appointments and there is no point in saying that that is anything other than positive discrimination."^[26] However, the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission cited international human rights law to show that special measures to secure minority participation were in accordance with human rights standards and did not in law constitute 'discrimination'.^[27]

By February 2011, 29.7% of the 7,200 officers were from a Catholic background, but among the 2,500 police staff (non-warranted members), where the 50:50 rule operated only for larger recruitment drives, the proportion of Catholics was just 18%.^[28] The British Government nevertheless proposed to end the 50:50 measure, and provisions for 'lateral entry' of Catholic officers from other police forces, with effect from the end of March 2011.^[29] Following a public consultation the special measures were ended in respect of police officers and police staff in April 2011.

Deloitte conducted recruitment exercises on behalf of the PSNI, and was the dominant firm in the Consensia Partnership which existed from 2001 to 2009.

As of 2017, the PSNI have announced that it will be introducing new schemes to increase the number of Catholics in the force. The PSNI is focusing on tackling the fear factor of joining the service as violent dissident Republicans are discouraging Catholics from joining and continue to attack Catholic officers.^[30]

In September 2006 it was confirmed that Assistant Chief Constable Judith Gillespie approved the PSNI policy of using children as informants including in exceptional circumstances to inform on their own family but not their parents. The document added safeguards including having a parent or "appropriate adult" present at meetings between juveniles and their handler. It also stressed a child's welfare should be paramount when considering the controversial tactics and required that any risk had been properly explained to them and a risk assessment completed.^[31]

As of April 2023, the PSNI is structured with the following departments:

Crime Department^[32]

• Organised Crime Branch
• Serious Crime Branch
• Intelligence Branch
• Specialist Operations Branch
• Crime Support Branch
• Public Protection Branch

Justice Department^[33]

• Legacy and Disclosure Branch
• Criminal Justice Branch
• Contact Management
• Custody

Local Policing^[34]

Operational Support^[35]

• Armed Response Unit
• Close Protection Unit
• Dog Section
• Emergency Planning Unit
• Firearms and Explosives Branch
• Information Security Unit
• Operational Planning Hub
• Operational Policy Unit
• Police Search Advisor
• Operational and Tactical Development Unit
• Tactical Support Group
• Road Policing Unit
• Scientific Support

People and Organisational Development^[36]

Strategic Planning and Transformation^[37]

Professional Standards Department^[38]

• Discipline Branch
• Anti-Corruption Unit
• Service Vetting Unit

Corporate Services^[39]

Specially-trained Armed Response Unit (ARU) officers support other parts of PSNI when faced with people who are carrying weapons such as knives and firearms.

Headquarters Mobile Support Unit (HMSU) is the tactical unit of the PSNI. HMSU officers are trained to Specialist Firearms Officer (SFO) and Counter Terrorist Specialist Firearms Officer (CTSFO) standards. They undergo a 26-week training program including firearms, unarmed combat, roping, driving and photography.

Tactical Support Group (TSG) officers provide a range of core and specialist services to district policing teams.^[40]

Core TSG functions include public order, counter terrorism and crime reduction, community safety, crime scene response, and surveillance capability.

 

The colour of the PSNI uniform is bottle green. Pre-1970s RUC uniforms retained a dark green called rifle green, which was often mistaken as black. A lighter shade of green was introduced following the Hunt Report in the early 1970s, although Hunt recommended that British blue should be introduced. The Patten report, however, recommended the retention of the green uniform (Recommendation No. 154).^[41] The RUC officially described this as 'rifle green'. When the six new versions of the PSNI uniform were introduced, in March 2002, the term 'bottle green' was used for basically the same colour to convey a less militaristic theme. In 2018 a formal review was launched about the current uniform after officers gave feedback on it.

On 31 January 2022, a new uniform was introduced for frontline officers.^[42] This change replaced the white shirt and tie that was worn since 2001 with a green wicking material t-shirt. This new style shirt is embroidered with the PSNI crest on the left breast and the word Police on the left collar and both sleeves. The new shirt also facilitates the wearing of epaulettes to display rank and numerals. This modern workwear is similar to that of Police Scotland aside from colour and to uniforms of some police services in England and Wales. Officer headwear has remained the same and traditionally consists of peaked caps for males and kepi style hats for females. Baseball style caps are worn by tactical units.

The PSNI badge features the St. Patrick's saltire, and six symbols representing different and shared traditions: The Scales of Justice (representing equality and justice) A crown (a traditional symbol of royalty but not the St Edward's Crown worn by or representing the British Sovereign) The harp (a traditional Irish symbol but not the Brian Boru harp used as an official emblem in the Republic) A torch (representing enlightenment and a new beginning) An olive branch (a peace symbol from Ancient Greece) A shamrock (a traditional Irish symbol, used by St Patrick, patron saint of all Ireland, to explain the Christian Trinity)

The flag of the PSNI is the badge in the centre of a dark green field. Under the Police Emblems and Flags Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2002 no other flag can be used by the PSNI and it is the only one permitted to be flown on any PSNI building, vehicle, aircraft or vessel.^[43]

 

 

PSNI officers wear overt body armour vests featuring RF1 standard ballistic plates, designed to stop high-velocity rifle rounds.

Beginning in December 2007 body armour was required for PSNI officers operating in the Greater Belfast and Greater Derry City areas owing to the threat from dissident republicans.^[44]

As of 2020, all officers are issued with ballistic body armour, however in some lower-risk areas officers are permitted, on an optional basis, to wear stab vests, such as those worn by most UK police officers and the Gardaí.

In 2019 the PSNI introduced a new integrated body armour system similar to the Osprey body armour used by the British Army, intended to be lighter and more comfortable to wear.^[45]

Due to the elevated threat posed by armed paramilitary groups, and in contrast to the majority of police services in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland, all PSNI officers are routinely armed while on duty, with officers also permitted to carry firearms while off-duty.^[46][47][48]

Historically, RUC officers were issued with the Ruger Speed-Six revolver and had access to the Heckler & Koch MP5 submachine gun and the Heckler & Koch G3 and Heckler & Koch HK33^[49] rifles (which replaced the earlier Sterling submachine guns and Ruger AC-556 select-fire rifles between 1992 and 1995), with the PSNI inheriting these weapons upon formation.

The PSNI's standard issue firearm is the Glock 17 pistol, which is carried by every operational officer on the ground. The Glock 17 began superseding the Ruger Speed-Six revolvers from 2002 onwards, with only fifteen revolvers remaining in service by 2012.^[50][51]

The primary long-arm used in the service is the Heckler & Koch G36K carbine, which was procured to supplement and eventually replace the MP5, G3, and HK33.^[52][53]

L104 riot guns are available for crowd control purposes.^[54]

Long arms are still routinely carried in areas of higher threat such as Derry, Belfast (particularly north and west), and various border areas.

 

 

The best known PSNI vehicle is the Land Rover Tangi armoured vehicle, used extensively during the volatile period of the Troubles. In 2011, however, it was announced^{[by whom?]} that some of the aging Tangi fleet were to be replaced in response to officer safety concerns following the 2010 Northern Ireland riots,^[55] and as of 2021, only four remained in frontline service. Replacements sourced by the PSNI from 2012 onwards included 176 OVIK PANGOLIN Armoured Public Order Vehicles and 124 Penman Public Order vehicles, both of which are based on the Land Rover Defender chassis.^[56][57]

The PSNI today uses mostly conventional vehicles as part of its fleet of up to 2,690 vehicles for regular patrols across Northern Ireland, most of which consist of marked and unmarked estate cars and SUVs. These can be categorised as either armoured or "soft skin" unarmoured vehicles, with the former receiving armoured panels and bulletproof windows.^[58] In November 2020, 50 Škoda Kodiaqs and five Škoda Superbs were supplied to the PSNI as part of a programme to modernise the force's fleet;^[59] vehicles either currently or previously operated by the PSNI include Škoda Octavias,^[60] Vauxhall Vectras, Volkswagen Passats, Ford Mondeos and Audi A6 and A4s,^[61] as well as BMW R1200RT motorcycles.^[62]

In addition to using cars, vans and motorcycles, the PSNI also have a fleet of 242 bicycles which are used for city centres and walkway patrols.^[63][64]

In 2014 the Air Support Unit responded to over 4,000 callouts, 12 were Casualty evacuations and participated in over 250 missing people searches.^[65] All aircraft are used for investigations, anti-crime operations, traffic management, search and rescue, public order situations, crime reduction initiatives and tackling terrorism.

 

In May 2005, the PSNI took delivery of its first helicopter, a Eurocopter EC 135, registration G-PSNI and callsign Police 44. In 2010, the PSNI took delivery of its second aircraft, a Eurocopter EC 145 registration G-PSNO and callsign Police 45 at a cost of £7 million. In July 2013, a third helicopter entered service, Eurocopter EC 145, registration G-PSNR and callsign Police 46.^[66][67]

The PSNI operates two fixed wing aircraft for aerial surveillance.^[68] In August 1992, a Britten-Norman BN-2T Islander entered service with registration G-BSWR and callsign Scout 1.^[69] In July 2011, the aircraft sustained damage during a crash-landing at Aldergrove.^[70] In June 2013, prior to the G8 summit, a Britten-Norman Defender 4000 entered service with registration G-CGTC and callsign Scout 2.^[71]

Until 2019 when NPAS purchased four planes, the PSNI was for many years the only UK police service operating fixed-wing aircraft.

Other items of equipment include:

• Folding Hiatt Speedcuffs
• Monadnock 26" friction-lock baton with Hindi cap
• First Aid pouch
• TETRA radio (Motorola MTP3550)
• Torch with traffic wand
• Limb-restraints, also known as fast-straps

The PSNI previously issued BlackBerry devices to officers,^[72] which have now been replaced by various models of Android smartphones.

As of 2019 the service began replacing the previously-issued CS spray with PAVA spray.

The service's headquarters are located in Knock, an area in east Belfast.

On 8 August 2023, the PSNI suffered a major data breach when personal information of approximately 9,500 police officers and staff was accidentally published online in response to a freedom of information request. The disclosed data included surnames, initials, ranks, work locations and departments for all PSNI employees.^[73]

On 26 September 2024, the UK Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) issued a monetary penalty notice fining the PSNI £750,000 for infringements of data protection law related to the breach.^[73] The ICO found that the PSNI had failed to implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data from 25 May 2018 to 14 June 2024, in violation of the UK General Data Protection Regulation.^[73]

The ICO noted the sensitive nature of the data given the security situation in Northern Ireland, stating the breach "could lead to the most severe consequences imaginable for officers, staff and their families."^[73] While the ICO initially calculated a £5.6 million fine based on the seriousness of the infringements, this was reduced to £750,000 in line with the ICO's revised approach to public sector enforcement.^[73]

Police Service of Northern Ireland ranks
Rank	Chief constable	Deputy chief constable	Assistant chief constable	Chief superintendent	Superintendent	Chief inspector	Inspector	Sergeant	Constable
Epaulette insignia

In the PSNI there are also part-time Special constables known as a Reserve Constable. In contrast to most Special constables elsewhere in the UK, this is a paid position.

The ranks and their insignia correspond to those of other UK police services, with a few modifications: Sergeants' chevrons are worn point-up as is done in the United States, rather than point-down as is done in other police and military services of the United Kingdom. The six-pointed star & saltire device from the PSNI badge is used in place of the Crown in the insignia of superintendents, chief superintendents and the chief constable.

The rank insignia of the chief constable, unlike those in other parts of the UK, are similar to those of the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis and the Commissioner of the City of London Police.

In 2021 the BBC reported on news of 39 internal investigations into sexual misconduct or domestic abuse by PSNI officers over the past five years.^[74]

In January 2023 9 PSNI officers were fired in for sexual misconduct or domestic abuse.^[75]

In 2023 the Northern Ireland Public Prosecution Service (PPSNI) charged two PSNI officers for taking pictures of dead bodies.^[76] This was first reported on in 2022 by the BBC news program Spotlight, after they spoke with family members of a man who committed suicide in 2017. The family of the man was concerned about the behaviour of officers on the scene.^[77]

This 2023 disciplinary decision came about as a result of an internal investigation titled "Operation Warwick", by the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland. For these charges, one officer was dismissed, and one was suspended.^[77]

The PSNI suffered two data breaches in 2023, in which personal details of thousands of PSNI officers and staff was inadvertedly published on a public website.^[78][79]

Following the 2023 data breaches, a LucidTalk opinion poll revealed that 38% of people in Northern Ireland had "no" or "mostly no" confidence in the PSNI. The poll also found that unionist voters were more likely to have confidence in the police service than nationalists, though support for the PSNI was highest amongst "other" voters.^[80]

The Fund was set up in 2002 to provide care and financial assistance to police officers and ex-officers who have been injured or disabled from being the direct target of a terrorist attack and to the widows, widowers and families of police officers killed or injured through terrorism.^[81][82]

• List of law enforcement agencies in Northern Ireland
• Law enforcement in the United Kingdom
• List of Government departments and agencies in Northern Ireland
• Northern Ireland Security Guard Service
• PSNI F.C.
• PSNI GAA

• Weitzer, Ronald. 1995. Policing Under Fire: Ethnic Conflict and Police-Community Relations in Northern Ireland (Albany, New York: State University of New York Press).
• Weitzer, Ronald. 1996. "Police Reform in Northern Ireland", Police Studies, v.19, no.2. pages:27–43.
• Weitzer, Ronald. 1992. "Northern Ireland's Police Liaison Committees", Policing and Society, vol.2, no.3, pages 233–243.

 

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Police Service of Northern Ireland.

• Official website  
• Police Service of Northern Ireland. His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services.
• The badge and flag of the PSNI
• Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland website