BREACH CRISIS | 

Catholic west Belfast cop says joining PSNI was the ‘biggest mistake of my life’

‘I have been offered security lights and cameras. But how would that look? I might as well come home in my uniform’

Today at 09:28

Under-fire cops are fearful that added security measures will mark them out for attack.

Beleaguered police officers say they have been caught in a trap – do they or don’t they be open about their work? – with many living in communities where neighbours don’t know their profession.

Adding security cameras or lights to homes will simply mark them out as members of the PSNI, they believe.

With many living in relative anonymity the arrival of workmen to bolster their homes only draws unwanted attention at a time when tensions are high.

The Sunday World spoke to several serving officers across Northern Ireland and their stories are ones of fear and anger, and of being totally exposed and let down by the organisation they chose to represent.

One officer told the Sunday World his wife and young family of three children had already moved to a friend’s house as he works out what to do next.

He is too fearful to move them to relatives’ homes as he is unsure what information is in the hands of dissidents.

The west Belfast man told the Sunday World that his life has been turned upside down and he spoke of his worries for himself and his family’s future.

He also slammed the PSNI’s response to the data breach that has exposed him as a serving police officer.

“It was a big decision to join the police, as a catholic it was a hard decision, but we were told that it was a good career, and it is. But now I think it was the biggest mistake of my life,” he said.

“What is more infuriating is the response or lack of in certain areas. I have been offered cameras and security lights. How is that going to look? My neighbours who think I work in administration at a building company would put two and two together. I would.

“Anyone who listens to the news knows all about the data breach. If I put up cameras then as far as I am concerned I might as well come home in my uniform.”

The officer said the events of the past two weeks have caused him both mental and physical sickness.

“I can’t sleep, I’m not with my family and I feel sick in my stomach. The main thing is lack of trust. I don’t know if my bosses are telling us the full story, what information has been leaked? More than we know? Our addresses etc?”

Another police officer said he fears the PSNI is at a “dangerous tipping point” following the latest data breach blunder.

On Thursday, a senior police officer’s laptop and journal fell from the roof of vehicle on the M2 motorway.

The officer, who holds the rank of detective chief inspector, is believed to have left the items on the roof and had forgotten about them before drove off.

The PSNI said the laptop was recovered and “immediately deactivated”.

While some parts of the journal, an A4 size book used by senior officers to record a wide range of information, were recovered from the roadside, some sections of the book are still missing.

Police confirmed yesterday that the details of 42 officers and staff were included in the missing documents.

It was the latest in a series of recent data breach incidents involving the PSNI.

Last week, details of 11,000 PSNI employees were accidentally included in a Freedom of Information response. In a second incident, a police-issue laptop and radio, as well as a document containing the names of more than 200 staff, were stolen from a private vehicle at a retail park in Newtownabbey, Co Antrim, on July 6.

A third PSNI officer who spoke to the Sunday World said the service is in trouble.

“News of this latest incident, instead of being greeted with shock and concern, was greeted with ridicule,” he said.

“We’re at a dangerous tipping point where there is so much contempt and so little respect for the leadership.”

PSNI Chief Constable Simon Byrne is due to attend a private meeting of the Northern Ireland Policing Board on Tuesday.

Policing Board member Mark H Durkan yesterday called for the meeting to be held in public.

“This is a time for confidence-building measures,” said the SDLP MLA. “One would be for the community to see the PSNI command being held to account for the crisis before us.”

fallout

As the PSNI continues to deal with the fallout from last week’s huge data breach, the officer told the Sunday World that many of his colleagues were struggling.

“The absence picture is grim. Lots of officers going off and it’s putting real pressure on those who remain,” he said. “To be honest it’s going to be the straw that breaks the camel’s back for many.

“I know of people who are putting their old work uniform from different jobs out on the washing line to throw neighbours off the scent.

“I know of people already looking at house moves. I know of one, and have heard of several others, who are on the verge of breakdown with stress over it.

“Families who took a lot of winning over to support this career choice are now in fear that their house will be a target.”

The Sunday World contacted the PSNI but Chief Constable Simon Byrne was unavailable for comment. The PSNI also denied that some officers, from all ranks, had refused to meet him.

A spokesperson said: “Over the last week Chief Constable Simon Byrne has met and engaged with many officers and staff across the organisation….police are aware of the unhelpful and inaccurate rumours circulating.

“Contrary to these rumours, the meetings have been challenging yet constructive.

“The Chief Constable will continue to engage across the whole organisation as his priority is, and remains, the welfare and safety of officers and staff,” the spokesperson said.