Naomi Long slapping down of Chief Constable over PM letter is 'disgraceful attempt to gag'

Naomi Long’s justice ministry warned Jon Boutcher about “protocols which must be followed” after he wrote to the prime minister outlining the financial and staffing issues facing the force.

In a leaked letter, seen by the News Letter, the permanent secretary at the Department of Justice Hugh Widdis wrote to Mr Boutcher suggesting he had undermined the authority of the minister and the wider executive.

The letter highlights a deteriorating relationship between the PSNI and the Department of Justice over the crisis facing policing.

It also details previous reprimands from the justice department to the PSNI over public requests for additional funding.

Liam Kelly, chair of the Police Federation, has told the BBC that the “tone and tenor of the letter was disgraceful” – calling it a “crude attempt to put the chief constable firmly back in his box”.

“This is about power, and exerting power. And making sure that the chief constable was fully aware of where the power lies”, he said.

Describing the letter as “petty”, the police federation leader said some people in the Stormont government “are more interested in protocol and processes than actually fixing the problems”.

Mr Kelly said that what the Chief Constable told the prime minister was nothing new, but the NI Executive are “procrastinating” and “dithering” – while the police are at breaking point.

In his letter to Mr Boutcher, the justice permanent secretary said that while he appreciated the “commitment and determination” of the PSNI boss in lobbying for extra funding for the service, “there are certain protocols which must be followed when engaging with the UK government on matters of funding”.

He said this was necessary to “respect the constitutional arrangements in NI and, in particular, the authority of ministers in a devolved government”.

The letter was written in “consultation” with the Sinn Fein-run Department of Finance.

It said that any funding bids should be made to the Treasury via the Department of Finance “following engagement with the Department of Justice”.

Mr Widdis said “it is my view that you have acted outside the well-established financial protocols that are in place for Accounting Officers in Northern Ireland”.

He then listed two previous occasions on which the Department of Justice had written to the chief constable about comments he had made about PSNI finances.

The justice permanent secretary continued: “I fully acknowledge the challenges facing the PSNI an want to reassure you that the justice minister and indeed the NI Executive are committed to continuing to press the Treasury for a fair funding package” – adding that “any requests for additional funding will require a full robust business case and must follow the due process”.

On Monday the chief constable said police in NI have “two masters” and is therefore falling between the cracks, while the chair of the Police Federation claimed Stormont is a major part of the problem facing policing in the province.