PSNI Chief on 50-50 Recruitment Policy
The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) chief constable, Jon Boutcher, has stated that a return to recruiting equal numbers of Catholic and non-Catholic officers is "not necessary at present." However, he did not exclude the possibility of reinstating the 50-50 recruitment policy in the future, emphasizing that "nothing is off the table."
Boutcher made these remarks while responding to questions from members of the Policing Board following the PSNI's latest recruitment campaign, which recorded the lowest percentage of Catholic applicants in over ten years. This decline has prompted calls from Sinn Féin and the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) to reinstate the 50-50 recruitment approach.
The chief constable cited several factors against reintroducing the policy, including the ongoing dissident republican threat. He also questioned whether all community sectors are actively encouraging individuals to join the police service.
During the meeting, some board members raised concerns about a recent Police Ombudsman report that highlighted officers who had abused their positions for sexual purposes. In response, Boutcher assured a strict zero-tolerance stance on such misconduct.
"There is no place for these people in the PSNI,"
"We will find them and we will sack them."
What Was 50-50 Recruitment?
In 2001, following a policing reform report by former Conservative MP Chris Patten, the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC), which had been predominantly Protestant, was renamed the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI). One of the reform goals was to broaden community support and increase the number of Catholic officers.
As part of these reforms, the 50-50 recruitment process was introduced. At that time, Catholics comprised approximately 8% of the police force. The policy mandated that half of all new recruits be Catholic and half non-Catholic to address the imbalance.
The 50-50 recruitment system was discontinued in 2011 when then Northern Ireland Secretary Owen Paterson declared that the practice could no longer be justified.
Currently, the PSNI has about 6,300 officers, with approximately 67% identified as "perceived Protestant" and 32% as "perceived Catholic."
'No Need for Public Inquiry' into Journalist Surveillance
At the same Policing Board meeting on Thursday, Boutcher was also questioned about police surveillance of journalists, specifically regarding the unlawful targeting of former BBC reporter Vincent Kearney.
In response, the chief constable stated that a public inquiry into police surveillance of journalists is unnecessary. This position contrasts with calls from Amnesty International and the National Union of Journalists, who have urged for an inquiry following the Investigatory Powers Tribunal (IPT) hearing of Kearney's case last week.
"There is no need for any public inquiry here."
Boutcher referenced an independent review conducted by Angus McCullough KC, which found that surveillance was not "widespread or systemic."
"Nobody is covering anything up in the PSNI,"
He added that McCullough will conduct follow-up work after the IPT issues its ruling in the Kearney case. While Boutcher refrained from commenting further on the case until the ruling is delivered, he praised Kearney as an "outstanding journalist" who had done nothing wrong.
