Chief Constable Jon Boutcher has welcomed the publication of the Police Ombudsman's report into the abuse of position for sexual purposes, describing such behaviour as a "serious breach of trust."

Acknowledging the rising number of investigations, the Chief Constable stated that the increase reflects a collaborative effort to robustly address allegations of misconduct and corruption.

The PSNI has recently undergone several internal and external reviews to improve its response to sexism and misogyny. This includes a historical review of 134 officers' conduct over a ten-year period and the commissioning of an independent performance review by Rachel Langdale KC. Furthermore, the 2025 Workforce Inclusion Survey indicated that PSNI staff are increasingly aware of how to report inappropriate conduct, with reporting rates now exceeding those of forces in England and Wales.

To prevent future predatory behaviour, the PSNI has issued new guidance to supervisors to help identify early warning signs of exploitation. The service has also reinforced its "Statement of Action/Intent," which sets out a zero-tolerance policy toward harassment, bullying, and sexual gain, covering both physical interactions and digital messaging. Chief Constable Jon Boutcher said: "Any abuse of position for sexual purposes is wholly unacceptable. It represents a serious breach of trust and a violation of the standards rightly expected of police officers. The Criminal Justice Inspection Northern Ireland in its March 2025 report found that the Police Ombudsman's handling of abuse-of-position complaints needed to improve and, as this most recent report recognises, by focusing on this issue together we have seen the number of referrals and investigations increase. I welcomed that report and the clear need for both the PSNI and the Ombudsman to robustly deal with allegations of abuse of power."

He continued: "We are determined to shine a light on and better understand the true extent of sexism and misogyny within the PSNI to ensure our organisation is as effective as possible. In the wake of the murder of Sarah Everard and the sexual offences committed by David Carrick and Wayne Couzens, both Metropolitan police officers, the PSNI undertook a review of historical investigations relating to 134 officers over a ten-year period regarding concerns about their conduct. This review made many recommendations and identified gaps in individual investigations and PSNI's safeguarding response between 2012 and 2022. In addition, a number of thematic issues were identified which have been addressed to ensure organisational learning."

Regarding recent surveys and policy changes, the Chief Constable added: "The findings show that officers and staff understand what constitutes inappropriate conduct and know how to report it. The survey examined the effectiveness of our internal reporting mechanisms, showing that a significantly higher proportion of our workforce would report inappropriate behaviour compared with forces in England and Wales. We have reinforced our policy and guidance relating to abuse of position for sexual purposes and we are unequivocal that such behaviour is completely unacceptable and will not be tolerated."

Concluding his statement, Mr Boutcher said: "The vast majority of our officers and staff serve with integrity and dedication. Where standards fall short, we will act decisively. Our focus is on protecting the vulnerable, maintaining public confidence and ensuring transparency and accountability in all that we do."