Question
To ask the Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland what steps are being taken to ensure that serving officers and staff who experience domestic abuse are supported appropriately, that reports are handled consistently and sensitively, and that organisational culture encourages victims to come forward, recognising the particular barriers that police officers may face when reporting abuse involving colleagues, former colleagues or intimate partners.
Answer
PSNI recognises that domestic abuse perpetrated by a police officer or member of police staff can present particular risks and barriers to disclosure. An alleged perpetrator’s professional knowledge, status and potential access to police systems, information, equipment, powers and networks may increase risk and undermine a victim’s confidence in reporting.
Current arrangements are provided through PSNI’s Domestic Abuse Service Instruction, Domestic Abuse in the Workplace Guidance and associated safeguarding, misconduct, HR and welfare procedures. Alongside these arrangements, PSNI is developing a dedicated Police Perpetrated Domestic Abuse (PPDA) Strategy 2026 - 2029 to provide a clearer, co-ordinated organisational response.
The developing strategy will place the safety, dignity, choices and rights of victims and survivors at its centre, while strengthening perpetrator accountability, risk management, organisational oversight and independent scrutiny.
Support and confidence to report
Police officers and staff experiencing domestic abuse are recognised as victims first and are not expected to respond on the basis of their policing knowledge, training or professional role.
Support is available irrespective of whether an individual wishes to participate in a subsequent criminal investigation. Existing and developing arrangements include:
- access to specialist domestic abuse advocacy and safety planning, including where an individual does not wish to make a formal report;
- Occupational Health, confidential counselling, HR and wider wellbeing support;
- signposting to specialist community, health, legal, housing and financial services and relevant staff support organisations;
- workplace safety planning and adjustments, which may include changes to duties, work location, shifts, contact or reporting arrangements;
- consideration of domestic abuse special leave; and
- confidential advice and, where operationally feasible, routes to seek information and support outside normal line management structures.
PSNI recognises the particular barriers that may arise where the alleged perpetrator is a colleague, former colleague or otherwise connected with policing. These can include concerns around confidentiality, professional relationships, access to information, career implications and potential repercussions for those involved.
Existing learning resources, including material informed by lived experience, are intended to improve awareness, reduce stigma and encourage early access to support. The developing PPDA Strategy will further strengthen guidance and training for managers and colleagues so that disclosures are handled safely, sensitively and consistently.
Investigation, offender management and accountability
Where the alleged perpetrator is a police officer or member of staff, allegations may engage criminal, misconduct, safeguarding and workplace processes.
Public Protection Branch leads the criminal and safeguarding response for police officers and police staff, while the Professional Standards Department considers misconduct and integrity issues. These functions have distinct responsibilities but must operate in a co-ordinated manner.
The developing PPDA arrangements reinforce that:
- necessary criminal investigative and safeguarding activity should not be delayed because misconduct proceedings are underway;
- where a criminal threshold is not met, or a victim does not support prosecution, any continuing risk must still be assessed and managed;
- consideration may be given, where appropriate, to arrest, bail, protective orders, firearms, access to police systems, workplace arrangements and other proportionate safeguarding measures;
- actual, perceived or potential conflicts of interest must be identified and actively managed, including consideration of external investigative support or peer review where necessary; and
- criminal and misconduct processes may progress in parallel where lawful and appropriate.
- The rights of the child where applicable
Employees who become aware of suspected domestic abuse by a colleague are expected to raise those concerns through the appropriate channels and should not confront the alleged perpetrator directly, protecting both victim safety and the integrity of any investigation.
Culture, prevention and assurance
PSNI is seeking to strengthen confidence in reporting through clearer guidance, improved support pathways, workforce training, lived experience input and appropriate independent scrutiny.
The developing PPDA Strategy proposes enhanced governance and assurance arrangements, including regular review of anonymised data, case themes, barriers to reporting, organisational learning and the effectiveness of support and risk management arrangements.
This work also sits alongside PSNI’s wider organisational commitments, including the Statement of Intent and associated work to strengthen standards, culture, reporting and accountability.
PSNI is engaging with relevant internal and external partners, undertaking national benchmarking and seeking survivor and Expert by Experience input to ensure that the final arrangements provide a credible, accessible and survivor-centred response, while maintaining a clear focus on perpetrator accountability and the management of risk.
Cheryl Brownlee MLA - DUP