Question
Could the Chief Constable detail the number of PSNI officers and staff, who have been charged with a domestic violence offence, in the last five years including (i) the number of those who had access to a firearm; and (ii) the number of those who retained access to a firearm, after being found guilty.
Answer
- PSNI has been clear that any domestic violence is wholly unacceptable, has significant impacts on victims and families, and represents a serious breach of the trust placed in police officers.
- Where allegations are made, they are robustly investigated.
- PSNI has a clear policy in relation to considering access to firearms for police officers alleged to have been involved in domestic violence incidents or other criminal behaviour.
- Police attending any domestic incident have the power to remove all firearms, including firearms held by serving police officers. This is a key consideration in every domestically motivated incident that police officers attend in which firearms are held within the household.
- Over the past five years, a total of 11 officers have been charged with domestic violence offences.
- At the time of the offences, 7 of these officers were not subject to firearms restrictions, meaning they had no restriction on their ability to access their police issued personal protection weapon.
- Whilst they had access to a police issued personal protection it does not mean the officers had possession of a firearm at the time of the offence.
- All 7 of these officers had their police firearm access removed after the alleged offence occurred.
- The remaining 4 officers already had their firearm access removed at the time of the offence.
- None of the officers had their firearm access returned to them.
Colin McGrath - SDLP