PSNI: major new officer recruitment campaign launched

The PSNI launched a new recruitment drive today (Wednesday) in a bid to significantly bolster officer numbers.

The police said the Student Officer Recruitment campaign is bidding at "attracting the best talent who want to help others and make a difference."

Successful recruits will be offered a starting salary of £34,000.

To help publicise the plans there will be three weeks of advertising across broadcast, print and digital media platforms - highlighting a 22-week training programme.

Chief Constable Jon Boutcher said he wanted wants the PSNI to be seen as an “employer of choice” and be “representative of the community we serve”.

“Being a police officer is where you will change lives for the better because of the positive difference you will make for people and communities," he said.

“It is a challenging and rewarding career where you play a vital role in protecting people and the communities you serve."

Mr Boutcher continued: “It is an exciting career, where no two days are the same. With a starting salary of £34,000 on your appointment as a student officer, you will have the chance to learn and develop new skills as you progress through your career with access to a wide range of training opportunities you may never have thought possible.

“You will have the opportunity to attain and access qualifications, and you will be supported every step of the way.

“There is no other job like it and we want people from all walks of life, from all communities, to join us.”

Meanwhile, the Police Federation for Northern Ireland said the launch of a PSNI recruitment drive was an essential first step towards re-building officer numbers.

PFNI Chair Liam Kelly said: “Our hope is that this is a turning point. We have to halt the decline in officer numbers and work towards bringing the size of the Service up to where it needs to be.

“Reaching a headcount of 7,000 within three years is the ambition but it is all heavily conditional on the PSNI receiving a budget that allows it to go out and recruit.

“At present, we are 700 below the target figure of 7,000 and 1,200 short of the figure recommended for a peacetime Service of 7,500.

“Our officers face appalling work pressures with units and sections operating dangerously below strength. This is a crisis that has to be tackled for the sake of our entire community and right now, I don’t see any appetite from our political leaders to confront the challenge.

“Today’s recruitment drive launch is most welcome and an important starting point, but we will have to wait until March before we know the budget allocation for policing from the Department of Justice. This will qualify what the PSNI can afford to bring into the service. We are wholly supportive of this announcement and will continue to be engaged with the Service in helping to shape and configure the recruitment initiative.”