Ten murders in ten weeks: Beattie calls for action on PSNI funding

Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) MLA Doug Beattie has warned that the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) cannot continue to face soaring homicide levels without urgent investment in resources and staffing.

His remarks come after Chief Constable Jon Boutcher admitted he had considered requesting mutual assistance for homicide detectives following the tenth murder in under three months.

Mr Beattie said the PSNI had been left to cope with an unprecedented workload with “limited resources, poor staff levels, and underfunding”.

He stated:

“Apart from a few warm words from the Justice Department, who couldn’t even be bothered to bid for funding in the last monitoring round, the PSNI have gotten on with the job.

“The stark admission from the Chief Constable that he was close to asking for mutual assistance in the form of homicide investigators should heap pressure on the Justice Minister and the wider Executive to take policing seriously in Northern Ireland.”

The UUP MLA stressed that the scale of recent violent crime has left the force struggling.

“With ten homicides in as many weeks, it is clear to see that the PSNI need resilience in the form of homicide investigators while also dealing with mounting community policing issues,” he said.

“Homicides are difficult, complex, and resource-heavy investigations which use multiple agencies and specialists from within and outside the force.

“The public must be reassured, and have confidence, that the police have the capacity to conduct these investigations fully. To achieve this, the issue of policing must climb to be more than an afterthought following yet another tragic murder.”

Mr Beattie accused the Justice Minister of failing to act, describing her role as “hands-off” and leaving the PSNI without political backing.

He added:

“The Minister has played a hands-off role, citing ‘operational matters’ or the tripartite arrangement between her department, the policing board, and the PSNI.

“However, in adopting this strategy, she has left the issue facing the PSNI with no political champion, meaning the Chief Constable is the only person willing to tell it as it is.”

The comments are likely to increase pressure on the Executive to address police funding, particularly as homicide investigations stretch already limited resources across Northern Ireland.