Concern over lowest percentage of Catholic applicants to PSNI in a decade

SDLP MLA Colin McGrath urged intervention to stop further decline.

Concern has been voiced at the lowest percentage of Catholic applicants to the PSNI is more than a decade.

Police announced more than 4,000 had applied for their latest student officer recruitment campaign.

According to police data, more than 65.6% who applied to the student officer campaign were Protestant, 26.7% were Catholic and 7.7% were undetermined.

Some 63.5% of applicants were male, 36.5% were female, 7.3% were from the LGBT community, and 4.2% were from ethnic minorities.

The percentage of Catholic applicants dropped from 28.8% in 2025.

This percentage is the lowest since 2013, according to police figures.

According to the 2021 census, 45.7% of the Northern Ireland population are Catholic.

The recruitment process closed last Wednesday with 4,104 applications received.

PSNI officer numbers dropped to 6,190 last summer, well below the target of 7,500 set in the Patten Report in 1999.

SDLP MLA and Policing Board member Colin McGrath said the lowest number of Catholic applicants in more than decade should ring alarm bells.

“There will be much commentary around this 13-year low in Catholic applicants to join the PSNI, but unfortunately this trajectory has been clear for some time and these figures are in no way surprising,” he said.

“Unless we see drastic changes things will only get worse, with Policing Board projections putting the number of officers from a Catholic background at just 23% in 10 years’ time.”

Mr McGrath described the reasons for the decline as “complex”, adding: “There are no easy answers.”

“The threat from dissidents still looms in the background, the handling of legacy cases and a number of high-profile mistakes, including the data breach, would give many pause when considering a career in policing. I welcome and appreciate the efforts of Chief Constable Jon Boutcher to address these issues,” he said.

“Last year SDLP leader Claire Hanna called for an independent review of policing and the rule of law institutions to stop this slide backwards. This must be taken seriously by the PSNI, the Executive and particularly the Justice Minister, alongside the UK and Irish governments.

“Without a major intervention this situation will only get worse in the years ahead, with serious consequences for confidence in policing and society as a whole.”

Earlier this month Mr Boutcher called for “buy-in” from all quarters to support police to become representative of all communities.

Speaking at a meeting of the Policing Board, Mr Boutcher referred to a “very small section of society” who try to disrupt events such as police visits to schools or community meetings.

He spoke of his frustration, describing “bigoted” and “out-of-date” attitudes of some people based on “views that go back decades” and before the PSNI.

On Wednesday, Mr Boutcher appealed to people from all backgrounds to consider a career in policing.

“Policing is a unique career. It’s not simply a job, it’s a vocation,” he said.

“It’s a role that people can be quick to criticise, yet those very critics will always call us when they need help, and we will always be there for them whatever their background, culture or religion. We are a police service for everyone.

“I am very encouraged to see a vast number of people who have shown an interest in applying for a career in policing from across all sections of the community.

“It is the profession that all other public services turn to at a time of crisis, and the rewards of a career in policing are immeasurable.”

He added: “I wish all of the applicants the very best as they will now commence a rigorous multi-stage process.

“This will ensure that the very best candidates are offered a place on our intensive 22-week training programme at the Police College, Garnerville.

“Here student officers will develop practical and operational skills alongside our expert trainers, to ensure they are mentally and physically equipped to perform the important role of a police officer.

“I appeal to people from all backgrounds to consider policing as a career. If you become a police officer you will make a positive difference to so many people’s lives.”