A top civil servant has rebuked Chief Constable Jon Boutcher over recent appeals for greater police resources.
Department of Justice (DoJ) permanent secretary Hugh Widdis wrote to the chief constable last week warning him that his spending must stay within budget.
He also censured Mr Boutcher over a letter he recently wrote to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, stressing that there are “certain protocols that must be followed” when engaging with the British government.
In the chief constable’s letter he highlighted funding difficulties and record levels of sick leave by officers.
He described the PSNI as “exhausted” and said the circumstances had led to two officers taking their own lives.
Recent race-related violence and disorder have placed additional strain on police resources.
But having consulted with the Department of Finance, Mr Widdis told the chief constable he “acted outside of well-established protocols” for those in charge of spending public money.
The permanent secretary sent copies of his letter to Downing Street, the first and deputy first ministers’ office, the justice minister, the assembly’s justice committee, and the Policing Board.
He said any bid for additional money should come from the Department of Finance and that Mr Widdis’s predecessor had reminded the chief constable of this in December last year after comments at a meeting of the Policing Board.
“I would take this opportunity – as a further reminder – to state that in accepting your role as accounting officer {for the PSNI} you are required to follow the principles, rules, guidance and advice as outlined in Managing Public Money Northern Ireland,” the permanent secretary’s letter stated.
Mr Widdis warns that it his “duty to intervene” if the rules are not followed.
The DoJ head acknowledged that the PSNI faced challenges but said Justice Minister Naomi Long and her Stormont executive colleagues were seeking more cash from the Treasury.
