PSNI chief constable Jon Boutcher has told the Department of Justice he does not need their consent to lobby for more cash after he was rebuked by a senior official.
The PSNI’s top officer publicly hit back after DoJ permanent secretary Hugh Widdis stressed there “certain protocols that must be followed” when engaging with the British government.
The correspondence was referring to a letter Mr Boutcher recently wrote to Prime Minister Keir Starmer highlighting funding difficulties and record levels of sick leave within the PSNI.
The police chief described the force as “exhausted” and said the circumstances had led to two officers taking their own lives.
After consultation with the Sinn Féin run Department of Finance, Mr Widdis suggested Mr Boutcher had “acted outside of well-established protocols” for those in charge of spending public money.
A copy of his correspondence was also sent to Downing Street, the first and deputy first ministers’ office, the justice minister, the assembly’s justice committee and the Policing Board.
Alliance Party Justice Minister Naomi Long described the letter’s contents as “entirely appropriate”.
Speaking at the Policing Board on Thursday, Mr Boutcher responded to the DoJ intervention.
“I will be brief on this and I will make clear, I will do everything I possibly can to secure a better funding settlement for the PSNI,” he said.
“Because currently, as we all know, we are in a position we should not be in.
“And I disagree strongly with any rebuke about me approaching the Prime Minister.
“This is something I was entitled to do, I did not breach any protocol or any principle.”
Mr Boutcher added that he does not need permission from anyone to engage with the London government.
“The funding and effectiveness of the PSNI engages the interest and responsibilities of both the devolved and Westminster governments,” he said.
“I will communicate with both as I see fit, and I do not need authority or approval to do so.”
