'Grave doubts' over PSNI's ability to recruit officers

A recovery plan which aims to lift police officer numbers to 7,000 by 2028 is in "grave doubt", a union has claimed.

Liam Kelly, chairman of the Police Federation of Northern Ireland, said the plan had "effectively evaporated".

He said the number of Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) officers was "supposed to grow" to 6,500 by April 2026 - the end of year one of the recovery plan.

"Despite the belated funding we're currently at 6,315 - 35 officers less than where the original baseline was drawn in 2025," he said.

Speaking at a conference in Belfast, Kelly said the PSNI loses about 350 officers a year, so recruitment would have to be in the region of 800 officers to just catch up".

"Let's be honest - that is now simply not going to happen. Even with the best will in the world, the knock-on effect to get to 7,000 officers by April 2028 has effectively evaporated," he added.

Kelly accused Westminster and the Stormont Executive of "passing the parcel of blame in a game of unedifying brinkmanship".

"Continued constrained one-year financial settlements are an obvious barrier to forward-planning," he added.

"Despite the promise of ring-fenced funding, the PSNI Recovery Plan is in grave doubt.

"The service disgustingly remains languishing at the back of the queue when it comes to funding and having effective resources.

"We're facing stagnation caused by intolerable pressures. This is having a shocking and corrosive effect on our men and women who are working over and above what's required to keep the show on the road.

"They can only do so much with a service that is creaking under the weight of political indifference. The time for intervention is now."

Kelly also said recent bomb attacks in Lurgan and Dunmurry "were a disgraceful attempt to kill or injure" police.

He paid tribute to officers in Dunmurry for their "selfless" actions in alerting nearby families to the danger.

"A piece of footage captured on an officer's body worn video stands in sharp contrast to the hopeless practitioners of evil," he said.

Kelly also said he was joining the chief constable's call for everyone to do their bit "in a more vocal and assertive way to promote a career in policing".

"Those applicants from a Catholic background in particular have to be given specific reassurance from nationalist politicians and church leaders that there is no impediment or threat to them becoming police officers," he said.

He also said the recent Langdale and Katie Simpson review findings made for "uncomfortable reading".

He added officers "must do much better to eradicate such behaviours and strive to provide a better police service both internally and externally".