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NORTHERN IRELAND’S CHIEF constable has said the number of Catholics applying to join police is lower than he would like to see.
Around 3,500 applications have been received in the latest recruitment campaign for the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), which closes on Wednesday.
Of those, approximately 27% were by those who identify as Catholic.
The Chair of the Police Federation for Northern Ireland Liam Kelly called for “major societal changes” to encourage more Catholics to apply to the PSNI.
Kelly said figures on the religious breakdown of applicants in the latest recruitment campaign showed there was still “a hill to climb” when it came to attracting numbers that more accurately reflect the wider population.
He made comments following a BBC NI interview with the Chief Constable Jon Boutcher, in which he noted that the number of Catholics who have applied to join the PSNI is well below what it needs to be.
“The figures are not what I want. There is no doubt about that. But Rome wasn’t built in a day,” Boutcher said.
He added that it is “critically important” that the PSNI is representative.
“I am very focused on trying to make sure that we do everything we possibly can.
“This is the first campaign since 2021 and we’ve reached into not just the nationalist community but the Protestant working class communities, ethnic minority communities.
“I’ve done that personally, all my colleagues have done that, to try and get more interest from people who would not traditionally have thought about the PSNI as an occupation.
“It’s a tough challenge but it’s one we’re up for.”
Kelly countered Boutcher’s remarks, adding that “a number of impediments are there to make Catholics turn away from a job in policing.”
“The Chief Constable, in a BBC interview, said that 27% of the 3,500 applicants came from a Catholic background and that is some way off the workforce balance that is required,” Kelly said.
“We still have the threat that’s posed by murderous dissident gangs and that’s a big issue for people in areas where these thugs operate.
Kelly, chair of the Police Federation for Northern Ireland which represents rank and file officers, added that “societal changes are required” to tackle the recruitment issue.
“Potential applicants must get to the point where they can seek a career in policing without suffering intimidation or threats,” Kelly said.
“I have a number of Catholic colleagues who are unable to return home to visit parents and relatives, and that is an intolerable situation.
“Applicants should not feel they are going to lose their family networks or their friends but, sadly, too many feel that is exactly what would happen if they became police officers.
Between 2001 and 2011 there was a 50-50 recruitment initiative which meant there was one Catholic recruit for every one person from a Protestant or other background.
Since then, there has been no legislation to address the issue.
“Society has to change the way it views policing, generally, and provide the encouragement that is needed to make it possible for more Catholics to become officers serving the entire community,” Kelly said.
“Ultimately, we want applicants from all backgrounds who will make good police officers. That cannot be based on their religious affiliations but rather on their skills and all-round ability to do the job without fear or favour.”
The PSNI launched a new recruitment campaign last month, which is their first since 2021.
Applications are below the last two recruitment drives, which attracted 5,300 and 6,900 applicants respectively.
In terms of overall numbers, Boutcher said if the PSNI had kept pace with forces in England, Scotland and Wales there would be probably be around 8,000-8,500 officers.
He said the lower number of applicants is “mirroring” what is seen in other parts of the UK and Ireland, with other forces struggling to attract numbers.
Additional reporting from PA.
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Any chance of some balanced journalism and report on the siege by Turkey and its head hacking allies in Afrin?
Indiscriminate bombing? Check
Civilians being massacred? Check
Lots of kids being blown to bits? Check
Maybe it’s too real and the status quo is afraid Call it for what it is, 100 years since the Greek and Armenian genocide, the Turkish establishment haven’t lost their Mongol slaying instincts
@Chicinho Hear Hear!!! But balanced journalism doesnt fit the US led Neoliberal western agenda..
@Nigel O’Neill: It’s actually a Neo-con agenda being delivered by neo- lib reporters who are owned by Neo- cons. You couldn’t make it up.
@Chicinho: The lack of media coverage of what’s going on in Afrin is disgraceful. It’s been under bombardment for weeks now, and has had no water for over a week since Turkey shut of supply from a nearby dam and treatment plant. All we hear in MSM is Turkey’s version of events. And it’s not like the US are nowhere to be seen as their allies are slaughtered. They are actually watching from a few Km’s away and not lifting a finger to intervene. Disgusting.
@Chicinho: Not to mention Zionist Israel getting the US to fight a proxy regime change war to install a puppet president. The UN previously recognized Assad’s Syria until Israel and the US decided he should go. Putin is no saint but I’m glad he stuck in there because otherwise they would have establish anew front in Iran and that would not be nice for anyone.
@JimmyMc:
Don’t forget Fake News RTE.
Goal are really taking sides in this complex 6 year civil war….Seeing things from the Sunni Jahadi side…..Many of the 400000 civilians in Ghouta don’t support the Sunni Jahadi and wish they would take up the offer from Syrian army to surrender and safe passage to another rebel held area to fight on…..Saudi Arabia and Qatar have armed and trained many of these rebels in Saudi proxy war against Iran…..Whatever about been democratic moderate rebels at start of conflict as John Kerry and Joe Biden called them….For many years they are Sunni Jahadi similiar to IS…..Very wrong of Goal to support them…
@John003: well said
@Jamie Thornton: ‘Sunni jihadists similar to IS’. and backed by the US of course. why can’t journalists report it like it is? because they are owned by corporate greed who have no concept of people suffering.
The official policy of the west – ‘Regime change’ for Syria has been stymied by Russian military intervention. This policy of Regime change, has involved Britain, the Us and and their allies arming and promoting ‘ moderate rebels’ to destabilize the Syrian Government and destroy the country and it’s people. These moderate rebels are terrorists. The west, for all it’s talk of freedom and Liberty and morality, has descended into a pit of double standards, lies and murder. Everyone who has backed the west’s narrative is also in this pit of blood and shares responsibility – this includes the media here in Ireland and around the world esp. state propaganda outlets like RTE and the BBC.
It is no wonder there is huge anti Russian sentiment at the moment as they have ruined the complete destruction of Syria for western and Israeli geopolitical goals.
@raymond grehan: This is not in interest of Israel ….Obama administration did train and arm the rebels in early days of conflict….It was in Jordan not Israel….This Syrian civil war has been a disaster for Israel …. Iran’s proxy army are now on their border with Syria as well as in Lebonan….Israel are close to the Druse in Syria who support Assad….Jews are not stupid supporting a Sunni Jahadi takeover of Syria with one of the main groups Al Nusra in charge would be disaster for Isreal….One of the few things Sunni and Shia agree on is destruction of Israel….Only group Israel support are the Kurds in Northern Syria….
@raymond grehan: well said
@Raymond well said and to add also that this is in Black n white, its not a conspiracy theory. Go check out the white paper named ‘Project for the new American Century’..it tells you all you need.
Sounds like another Whitehelmet story.
work is going well to cleans the Islamic terrorism when you here this propaganda.
@Jamie Exactly. Have you ever wondered why there are none such articles with inside stories from people in Yemen ?? They have been under constant bombardment by US backed Saudi forces for months and months now and theres a humanitarian crisis underway. I recall a funeral of a family member killed by a dropped bomb and then they blew up the funeral home while all the mourners were there, as one example
@Nigel O’Neill: I know nigel its a sad state of affairs in Yemen at the moment and will be for a long time as long as the UK USA are backing the slaughter.
@Nigel O’Neill:
May and the British have blood on their hands. They are arming the Saudi killers.
That’s why I can’t take their self-righteousness about the Rusian guy seriously.
In the future the world should look back in shame on events in Syria, which were utterly preventable.
@Walt the events are awful but whi exactly should be ashamed for what exactly?
@Nigel O’Neill: the apathy
@Walt Jabsco:
Yes because getting involved in regime change has work out so well in the past.. #Iraq
@Walt Jabsco: don’t know what to believe anymore. The American paid “rebels” fight on, and the Syrian government drops bombs. I’m sure it’s awful, but the dripfed white-helmet type nonsense doesn’t get attention anymore. No Twitter in Yemen it seems.
These people are trying to drag us into their war. If they want to stop the violence, they should call on their jihadi buddies to leave Ghouta, and to set the civilian population there free.
I’m sick of all the chancers that have spring up–Whiite Helmets etc. A few months back I saw video of the White Helmets (they took off the helmets) cutting off the head of a Palestinian kid. I have no sympathy for them now.
Goal are an extension of the US foreign policy nexus…always have been.
have your say