PSNI officer sacked for sharing ‘shocking’ discriminatory messages

A police officer has been dismissed without notice from the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) following a gross misconduct investigation involving inappropriate and discriminatory messages.

The officer’s dismissal followed internal investigations conducted by both the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland and the PSNI itself.

The case was considered at a Special Case Hearing chaired by Chief Constable Jon Boutcher, who said the decision underscores the force’s commitment to integrity and professional conduct.

Chief Constable Boutcher stated:

“We expect the highest standards of professionalism and integrity from all of our police officers in accordance with the standards contained in the Police Service of Northern Ireland’s Code of Ethics.

“This matter was heard by myself in a Special Case Hearing and our robust actions show that we will not tolerate this damaging and unprofessional behaviour - there is no excuse.

“The messages repeatedly shared by this former constable were shocking, wholly inappropriate and discriminatory. The attitudes of sectarianism, racism, homophobia, anti-Semitism and misogyny within these messages have no place in policing.”

The incident is not isolated, with the Chief Constable confirming that three other officers have recently been dismissed under similar circumstances for sharing inappropriate material within police messaging groups.

Boutcher further addressed those who received the messages but failed to intervene:

“The police officers who received the messages and failed to report or challenge them were subject to management action in relation to potential breaches of our Code of Ethics.”

He emphasised the importance of maintaining public confidence in law enforcement:

“Police officers exercise significant powers, and it is vital that there is an accountability framework for officers. If the public is to have confidence that we will police without prejudice and fairly, it is essential that just as we, as the Police Service, pursue perpetrators in our communities, we are as committed to rooting out those that may be in our own ranks.”

The PSNI’s recent disciplinary actions appear to signal a firm stance on addressing internal misconduct and reinforcing ethical standards within the force.