PSNI data breach: Mike Nesbitt calls for emergency meeting of Policing Board

It is understood the details include the names of officers, and civilian personnel, including where they are based and their roles within the organisation.

Ulster Unionist MLA Mike Nesbitt said it is “imperative that officers, staff and their families and friends understand how seriously this breach is being taken”.

In a Freedom of Information request sent to the PSNI last Thursday (August 3), the request stated: “Could you please provide me with the number of officers and staff at each rank or grade distinguishing between how many are substantive/temporary/acting as of 01/08/2023. Could you please provide this information in the form of tables for officers and tables for staff.”

The home addresses of the officers and staff are not included in the released spreadsheets.

Mr Nesbitt said: “I have requested the board call an emergency meeting tomorrow when the board can hear directly from the PSNI’s Senior Executive Team. It is imperative that officers, staff and their families and friends understand how seriously this breach is being taken and that the board is determined to fulfil its oversight and challenge functions appropriately.

“There are several issues here. First, ensuring those who now feel themselves at risk are given a realistic assessment of the implications of the data breach. Second, why was there no ‘fail safe’ mechanism to prevent this information being uploaded. Third, there is the question of whether it was a genuine mistake and here, the principle of innocent until proven guilty applies.”

Mr Nesbitt added: “I view this like a serious incident when people are seriously physically injured. The priority is to assist the injured. Only after that do you turn to examine the other issues. In other words, my thoughts are with those whose names have been released into the public domain, who had a reasonable expectation this would never happen.”

The DUP’s lead Policing Board representative Trevor Clarke said: ‘’This is a deeply alarming development and follows hot on the heels of separate reports of theft and trespassing on the police estate. The public will be rightly seeking answers and they deserve to see a robust response from the PSNI senior command.

"Any data breach is unacceptable but more so when it disclose personal information identifying rank and file officers. The scale of this breach seems unprecedented.

“This not only jeopardises the safety of officers but will further undermine morale within the organisation at a time when staff are holding the line amid unprecedented budget cuts.

"Those employed by the PSNI in any capacity deserve to have their rights and interests protected by the leadership of the police force they serveIt is high time errors of this magnitude become a thing of the past in the delivery of policing in Northern Ireland. We will raising these concerns with the chief constable directly in the coming days.’’

Alliance leader and former justice minister Naomi Long MLA has described the scale of the reported breach as “profoundly concerning”.

She said: “It's been reported that the information was mistakenly posted online by the force itself in what's been described as supposed 'human error'.

"This level of data breach is clearly of profound concern, not least to police officers, civilian staff, and their families, who will be feeling incredibly vulnerable and exposed tonight and in the days ahead.

"Immediate action must be taken to offer them proper information, support, guidance and necessary reassurances regarding their and their families' security.”

Mrs Long added: "Whilst the personal data has now been removed, once such information has been published online, it leaves an indelible footprint.

"That such sensitive information could ever have been held in a manner open to such a breach is unconscionable and will require serious investigation; however, the most urgent issue is supporting those whose security has been compromised.

"Alliance representatives on the Policing Board are seeking an urgent meeting of the board to be convened with PSNI Senior Management Team to address this unprecedented security breach."

TUV leader Jim Allister said: “At a time when the terrorism threat is severe the catastrophic data breach within the PSNI cannot simply be written off as human error. Responsibility must be taken at the top.”

Assistant Chief Constable Chris Todd has said there is no immediate security concerns arising from the PSNI data breach.

Mr Todd clarified that every serving police officer and member of police staff has had data compromised.

“In terms of the security for individuals, there’s nothing at the moment to suggest there’s any immediate security concerns, but we have put actions in place to ensure that if anything does arise we will be aware of that, and then we can mitigate accordingly.”

He added: “This is human error.

“We’ve looked into the circumstances, we’ll continue with our investigation, but the very early considerations are that this is simple human error and the people who have been involved in the process have acted in good faith.

“We’ve identified some steps that we can take to ensure that it doesn’t happen again.

“It is regrettable but it is simple human error.”