Chief Constable backs ‘Let Them Protect’ campaign highlighting assaults on officers

PSNI Chief Constable Jon Boutcher

The Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), Jon Boutcher, has publicly declared his strong support for the Police Federation for Northern Ireland’s newly launched ‘Let Them Protect’ campaign, aimed at raising awareness of the increasing number of assaults on police officers and the consequences for frontline services.

Speaking at the campaign’s launch, Chief Constable Boutcher condemned the growing frequency of attacks against police personnel and reaffirmed his commitment to both officer welfare and community safety.

“I am extremely pleased to lend my support to this new campaign by the Police Federation and help bring attention to the wholly unacceptable levels of attack and assault on my officers and staff as they go about their job of keeping communities safe,” he said.

The ‘Let Them Protect’ campaign seeks to draw public and political attention to the real and often traumatic impact that physical assaults have on officers—highlighting not just the personal toll but the strain on policing services across Northern Ireland.

Chief Constable Boutcher paid tribute to the dedication and resilience of PSNI officers, stating:

“Policing is a tough profession and the officers and staff of the Police Service who stand up to serve the people of Northern Ireland deserve nothing but our admiration and respect. Every one of them does a vital job and whilst they come to work knowing that on any given day they could be faced with difficult and dangerous situations, what we should never accept, is for them to be physically assaulted.

“Being attacked should never be thought of as part of anyone’s ‘normal day’ at work.”

Stressing the importance of public backing for police services, the Chief Constable urged Northern Ireland society to take a firm stance against violence directed at those who serve:

“We are incredibly fortunate to have the policing that we do in Northern Ireland but we cannot continue to take that policing for granted.

“Support for policing, and for our police officers, needs to be society wide, and it should be recognised and understood that it is simply not acceptable to assault or attack police officers. We cannot, and will not, simply stand by and accept it.”

In a pointed message to policymakers and the Department of Justice, he added:

“I will continue to work hard, in tandem with the PFNI, to highlight the issue of attacks on police and engage our partners in the Department of Justice around sentencing guidelines for those who have carried out an assault on a police officer.”

The Police Federation’s campaign is set to involve a series of public information efforts, data-driven reports, and calls for legislative action to ensure more robust deterrents for those found guilty of attacking police officers.