PSNI data breach: Officers and staff 'frightened' after details leaked

Some constabulary officers successful Northern Ireland volition see their futures with the unit aft a information breach, a erstwhile NI justness curate has said.

Naomi Long said it was 1 illustration of the "human cost" of the breach.

She said families and friends of officers could beryllium "jeopardised".

In effect to a state of accusation (FoI) request, the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) shared names of each constabulary and civilian personnel, wherever they were based and their roles.

The details were published online, earlier being removed.

Speaking connected BBC News NI's Good Morning Ulster programme, Alliance Party person Mrs Long said determination would person to beryllium a afloat and frank probe into the circumstances of the breach.

"There are systemic issues present wherefore was this information disposable to beryllium issued successful unencrypted signifier successful the mode that it was," she said.

She added the integer footprint volition beryllium "almost impossible" to eradicate and her absorption is present connected making definite determination is "adequate enactment for officers based connected the level of risk".

The menace to officers means they indispensable beryllium highly vigilant astir their security.

Many, particularly from nationalist communities, support their employment secret, successful immoderate cases adjacent from galore household members.

Speaking to the BBC connected Wednesday, Ulster Unionist Party person Mike Nesbitt said helium was alert of a constabulary serviceman who had not been capable to devour a repast astatine their mother's location for 10 years owed to the information hazard posed to them.

The FoI from a subordinate of the nationalist asked the PSNI: "Could you supply the fig of officers astatine each fertile and fig of unit astatine each grade?"

What they got backmost was not lone a numerical table, but, by mistake, a immense Excel spreadsheet.

This was referred to by the constabulary arsenic "the root data" and should not person been released arsenic portion of the FoI.

Everything which was provided nether the FoI, including the spreadsheet, was past published connected an FoI website, What Do They Know, connected Tuesday afternoon.

It was removed aft two-and-a-half hours astatine the PSNI's request, erstwhile they became alert of it.

The spreadsheet is 10,799 lines long.

Each enactment contains aggregate pieces of accusation from the apical of the organisation - Chief Constable Simon Byrne - down.

It includes the surname and archetypal first of each employee, their fertile oregon grade, wherever they are based and the portion they enactment in, including delicate areas specified arsenic surveillance and intelligence.

The database besides includes radical connected vocation breaks.

This mightiness partially explicate wherefore the database exceeds the existent size of the PSNI's workforce, but it's unclear.

Apologising to officers astatine a property league connected Tuesday evening, Assistant Chief Constable Chris Todd said the mistake was "unacceptable".

"We run successful an environment, astatine the moment, wherever determination is simply a terrible menace to our colleagues from Northern Ireland-related coercion and this is the past happening that anybody successful the organisation wants to beryllium proceeding this evening," helium said.

"I beryllium it to each of my colleagues to analyse this thoroughly and we've initiated that."

The main constable is connected vacation but is being kept informed of developments.

The standard of this mistake is enormous.

It is astir apt the worst information breach successful the organisation's 22-year history.

The consequences are a small much hard to evaluate.

Had this contained addresses, it would person been catastrophic successful presumption of assisting violent groups people officers.

But the merchandise of worker names could inactive exposure individuals, galore of whom instrumentality large attraction to support who they enactment for a secret, even, successful immoderate cases, from friends and family.

That the accusation was published connected a website for much than 2 hours volition adhd to concerns wrong the workforce.

Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris said helium was "deeply concerned" by the information breach and that elder PSNI officers were keeping him updated.

The Police Federation of Northern Ireland, which represents officers' interests, expressed dismay and choler astatine the incident, calling it a "breach of monumental proportions" which could origin "incalculable damage".

Police officers successful Northern Ireland were regularly attacked by enactment paramilitary groups during the Troubles and members of the PSNI person besides been targeted successful weapon and weaponry attacks successful the years pursuing the Good Friday Agreement.

In February this year, elder PSNI serviceman Det Ch Insp John Caldwell was earnestly injured successful a shooting successful Omagh, County Tyrone.

The pursuing month, the coercion menace level successful Northern Ireland was raised from important to severe, meaning an onslaught was highly likely.

The Police Federation has called for an urgent inquiry.

Its president Liam Kelly said: "Rigorous safeguards ought to person been successful spot to support this invaluable accusation which, if successful the incorrect hands, could bash incalculable damage.

"The men and women I correspond are appalled by this breach. They are shocked, dismayed and justifiably angry. Like me, they are demanding enactment to code this unprecedented disclosure of delicate information."

Mr Kelly added that it was fortunate that the PSNI spreadsheet had not fixed location addresses, saying that would person been a "potentially calamitous situation".

BBC News NI understands the contents of the FoI person been seen by existent and erstwhile PSNI staff.