Independent review to be launched into PSNI data breach

The chair of the Northern Ireland Policing Board has announced that an "independently-led end-to-end review" of the circumstances surrounding recent PSNI data breaches has been commissioned.

It comes after personal data on all serving members of the PSNI was mistakenly published earlier this month in response to a Freedom of Information request.

Details of the 9,483 people released included the surname and first initial of every employee, their rank or grade, where they are based and the unit they work in.

A number of other data breaches have since come to light, including the loss of a police officer's laptop and notebook which contained details of 42 officers and members of staff after the items fell from a moving vehicle last week.

Northern Ireland Policing Board chair Deirdre Toner said: "This breach and the subsequent breaches have damaged the reputation of the service and impacted the confidence of officers, staff and others in the service's ability to protect personal information."

When asked about the independence of the review if it had been co-commissioned, vice chair of the policing board of Northern Ireland Edgar Jardine said the review team has "no relationship with the PSNI".

Mr Jardine said: "The board will be alongside this and, as that work progresses, we will be looking at it independently.

"We have, I think, really a fairly strong team working on it and (there) will be very frequent feedback into the board so we will have an opportunity to challenge where we have concerns."

He said he expects the lead on the review to report simultaneously to the policing board and the PSNI.

Asked if Chief Constable Simon Byrne should have spoken to media after meeting with the Northern Ireland Policing Board, chair Deirdre Toner said: "Today was about getting the board together at a critical time to get the board to agree where we were going to go next and what that would look like and the scrutiny around that.

"The chief has been in touch and has done media, and has done from an operational perspective and a safety perspective, and a community safety perspective and a security perspective.

"Our job is to look at the oversight and look at how that's going to roll out.

"It's defined roles in terms of what we do."

Northern Ireland's Chief Constable Simon Byrne has said he "recognises the gravity of the situation and challenges ahead" following a major data breach.

In a statement after attending a meeting of oversight body the Northern Ireland Policing Board, Mr Byrne said he gave an update on the service's immediate response, the criminal investigation and "approach to begin recovery".

"It was a constructive meeting," he said.

"I recognise the gravity of the situation and the challenges ahead.

"The independent review led by Assistant Commissioner O'Doherty, City of London Police, will provide answers to the questions.

"The service executive team and I are grateful for the support of the board.

"I would also reiterate my thanks to officers and staff who continue to serve the public around the clock."