The Government's proposals to address Northern Ireland's troubled past will fail unless the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) is adequately funded to handle the demand, Chief Constable Jon Boutcher has warned.
Speaking at a meeting of the Northern Ireland Policing Board, Mr Boutcher backed the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee's call for a new, recurring and ring-fenced funding stream for the PSNI to meet legacy costs. He highlighted that the PSNI faces projected shortfalls of £57 million, £92 million and £149 million over the next three years in resource funding, with capital funding also down 20% in the draft Stormont budget.
Mr Boutcher expressed concern over the Government's "one-dimensional approach" focusing solely on the new Legacy Commission, warning that without proper funding for the PSNI, the entire legacy project will fail. He noted that detectives and staff currently working on legacy cases should be redeployed to deal with contemporary policing issues, particularly in the Public Protection Branch.
