PSNI chief tells MPs legacy issues costing force £20m a year which could fund 400 officers
The cost of dealing with legacy issues could fund 400 new police officers, the Chief Constable has told a parliamentary committee.
Jon Boutcher described dealing with Northern Ireland's troubled past as a 'millstone' as he admitted 'we are not where we should be because we spend so much time looking back at the past.'
He made the comments on Wednesday morning as he addressed a Northern Ireland Affairs select committee hearing on 'The Government's new approach to addressing the legacy of the past in Northern Ireland.'
He was joined by PSNI Detective Chief Superintendent Claire McGuigan, former police ombudsman and member of the House of Lords Baroness Nuala O'Loan and Operation Kenova lead officer Sir Iain Livingstone.
Police at the scene of ongoing security alert at Cavehill in north Belfast
Responding to a question from Gavin Robinson about the economic cost to the PSNI of investigating legacy issues, Mr Boutcher said that the PSNI is spending around £20m a year dealing with legacy issues.
He added that this 'would be around 400 police officers.'
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Western Telegraph
25 minutes ago
- Western Telegraph
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