The former police chief of Bedfordshire in the United Kingdom has been confirmed as the interim chief constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI).
Jon Boutcher takes up the position after the PSNI vacancy arose following the resignation of Simon Byrne following a number of controversies.
These included a significant data breach in which the personal details of all officers and staff were mistakenly published online and a critical High Court ruling that said that two junior officers had been unlawfully disciplined.
PSNI Deputy Chief Constable Mark Hamilton is currently leading the force, although he is not at his desk following a medical procedure.
Say Nothing: Bingeable yet sober-minded eulogy for the tragedy of the Troubles
Politicians need to decide if Northern Ireland is desperately poor or so rich it requires no help
Murdered showjumper Katie Simpson was ‘stolen’ from family says father as watchdog criticises police
Horrific crimes of ‘catfish’ Alexander McCartney exposed by bravery of 12-year-old girl
Mr Boutcher has recently been conducting an investigation into the activities of Stakeknife, the British army’s top agent in Northern Ireland during the Troubles. The Operation Kenova report is expected to be published in the coming months.
Speaking about the interim appointment, policing board chairwoman Deirdre Toner said: “The appointment of Jon Boutcher as interim chief constable will bring stability to the leadership of the PSNI and the service executive team until the substantive appointment chief constable process has been completed.
“The board looks forward to working with Mr Boutcher and the wider service executive team as we progress the issues and pressures currently facing policing.”
Mr Boutcher previously applied to become PSNI chief constable in 2019 but lost out on that occasion to Mr Byrne.
The job advertisement for the temporary role said the successful candidate will be in the post for a minimum of three months, with the potential for further extension. The salary for the job is £219,894 (€254,748) a year.
Applications for the permanent chief constable role will close on October 16th.
Northern Ireland’s new police chief will have a number of issues to deal with, including a budget crisis facing the force.
Senior officers have estimated that security and legal costs from the major data breach could potentially cost the force £240 million.
Last week, the Supreme Court issued a ruling on a long-running legal claim over holiday pay, which could see the force having to make back payments of tens of millions of pounds.
Former Police Scotland Chief Constable Sir Iain Livingstone will take over as Officer in Overall Command (OIOC) of Kenova following the appointment of Jon Boutcher as interim Chief Constable of PSNI.
In a statement on Thursday, Mr Boutcher said he had “made a commitment to Kenova families and remain steadfast in my determination to deliver those promises.
“In advance of agreeing to take on this role I recognised the responsibility and the focus needed, so have agreed with Sir Iain for him to take on the role of OIOC of Kenova on an interim basis.
“Sir Iain has been closely involved with Kenova since it began as a member of both the independent steering group and then as chair of the Governance Board, I am grateful he has agreed to take on this role.
“I trust him, and the wider team, implicitly to continue this vitally important work and ensure no victim or family is let down.
He said he and the Kenova team would “ensure the remaining work continues uninterrupted whilst I am in this interim role and that work will have my unwavering support.”
In an update on the status of the interim Operation Kenova report into the activities of the IRA double agent Freddie Scappaticci, known as Stakeknife, the Kenova team said it had “successfully passed through the final stages of the legal protocol regarding criminal prejudice with the Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland and has now been submitted to the PSNI for publication.”
Mr Boutcher said that while leading Kenova, “I have worked with victims and families, multiple stakeholders and a range of partners across Northern Ireland, and of course the PSNI itself, so have a good understanding of the challenges the organisation faces and am acutely aware how distracting and frustrating recent events will have been for everyone.
“They now need a period of stability and to be allowed to get on with doing the job, and they have my full support in doing just that.”– PA