The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) is set to launch a recruitment drive on Wednesday in a bid to increase officer numbers from an all-time low. The PSNI has called the initiative a “recovery plan” that will require extra funding of £200m from Stormont. Chief Constable Jon Boutcher is aiming to expand the service to 7,000 officers by 2028, up from its current level of 6,300. Boutcher has recently warned that the PSNI has reached a “watershed moment” following years of underfunding.
This will be the first significant drive to recruit trainees since 2021, and starting salaries will be set at £34,000 with an additional £4,000 allowance, often referred to as “danger money”. The PSNI has struggled to keep pace with departures, and recruitment has slowed drastically in recent years. Boutcher is pushing ahead with the campaign despite still awaiting approval for supplementary funding from Northern Ireland Executive.
Last week, the PSNI informed MPs that it required £200m spread over five years to fund recruitment and training of new officers, as well as pay for an additional 400 civilian staff members. There has been much debate surrounding police numbers in Northern Ireland, with the New Decade New Approach deal in 2020 committing to a police force of 7,500 officers. Comparisons with other UK police services have led the PSNI to call for a further increase to 8,500 officers.
Officer strength is considered an operational matter, with the chief constable overseeing budget allocation from the Department of Justice. Justice minister Naomi Long has urged for stability and improvement in current numbers, stating the need to enhance public safety across Northern Ireland
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