Chief Constable's Commitment to Addressing Misogyny
The Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), Jon Boutcher, has assured the policing board that he is "doing everything" possible to eliminate misogyny within the ranks of the force.
He acknowledged to the board that "there were a number of absolutely unacceptable police failings in the investigation into the murder of Katie Simpson".
His remarks came shortly after the publication of a review examining the handling of the case involving Katie Simpson.
Katie Simpson, a 21-year-old showjumper, died in 2020. Initially, her death was treated by the PSNI as a suicide.
The review, released on Tuesday, identified "institutional misogyny" and "systemic failures" within the PSNI during the investigation of Katie's death.
Katie was groomed and murdered by Jonathan Creswell, a showjumping trainer and the partner of Katie's sister.
Creswell was eventually charged with her murder but died by suicide one day after the trial began in 2024.
'Zero tolerance'
During the policing board meeting on Thursday, Jon Boutcher reiterated his apology to Katie Simpson's family and noted that significant changes have been implemented within the PSNI.
"I have spoken to the entire organisation and told officers there would be 'zero tolerance' for misogyny and those who displayed that behaviour would 'quickly lose their jobs'."
He emphasized, however, that this stance does not apply to the majority of officers.
Alliance MLA Nuala McAllister questioned the Chief Constable, stating,
"You can't fire every misogynistic officer that exists in the PSNI because it's reflective of society so you need to find other ways to stamp it out and challenge it."
Boutcher assured the board that the PSNI has shifted to a victim-focused approach and has undertaken extensive work in this area.
He highlighted one of his primary concerns is ensuring the police have adequate resources to perform their duties effectively.
He also addressed the prevalence of violence against women and girls, citing statistics indicating that nearly 16 such crimes are reported to the PSNI daily.
Regarding female representation within the force, Jon Boutcher stated,
"We need this organisation to represent the people of Northern Ireland."
He noted that 33% of officers are female, which is "broadly in line with policing in England and Wales," but expressed a desire to increase this proportion.
Findings of the Review
The independent review found that police failed to seriously consider abuse or coercive control during their investigation, instead prioritizing Creswell's account.
Warning signs were overlooked, and Katie's lived experience was disregarded.
The review also revealed that 37 other victims, including children, later came forward alleging abuse by Creswell.
It made 16 recommendations, primarily focused on policing practices.
The review, led by Dr Jan Melia and completed over six months, concluded that "when police endorse misogyny, as they do here, risk to women escalates."
"Not one officer thought seriously about abuse/control, Katie's lived experience was disregarded, clear warning signs were ignored, established protocols were treated as optional/discretionary, and police chose to privilege Creswell's account."
The report called for an urgent "cultural shift" within the police force.
A separate investigation has been commissioned by the PSNI to further examine these issues.
