The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said the data was released as part of a routine freedom of information request
The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said the data was released as part of a routine freedom of information request AFP

Authorities said they had mistakenly posted online the names and ranks of police officers in Northern Ireland, sparking fears the release could jeopardise their security.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said the data was released as part of a routine freedom of information request and included the work location, surnames and first initials of staff but not their home addresses.

The error comes months after the terrorism threat level in the UK-run province was increased to "severe" in response to an assassination attempt on a senior police officer by dissident republicans.

"We have informed the organisation to make our officers and staff aware of the incident, appreciating the concern that this will cause many of our colleagues and families," Assistant Chief Constable Chris Todd said.

He explained the "matter is being fully investigated" and the "information was taken down very quickly".

"This is an issue we take extremely seriously and as our investigation continues we will keep the Northern Ireland Policing Board and the Information Commissioner's Office updated," Todd added.

Police remain the target of sporadic violence in the region and were targeted regularly during the three-decade-long conflict over British rule in Northern Ireland, which claimed more than 3,000 lives and ended in 1998.

The chairman of the Police Federation for Northern Ireland, Liam Kelly, described the release as one of "monumental proportions" and told BBC radio he had been "inundated" with messages from his members.

"They are shocked, dismayed and basically angry that this has happened," he said.

"Our officers go to great lengths to protect their identities. Some of them don't even tell their close friends and associates," Kelly explained, confirming that some on the list worked with Britain's domestic intelligence body MI5.

The shooting of Detective Chief Inspector John Caldwell as he left a sports complex in Omagh with his son in February provoked public outcry in Northern Ireland.

Responsibility for the attack was later claimed by the dissident republican group the New IRA.

The group has been linked to two attacks in recent years, including the planting of a bomb under a policewoman's car in April 2021.

"Our officers operate under the veil of the highest potential threat to them both on and off duty and so it's important that they do take precautions around their movements and actions and that the organisation protects them as well," Kelly said.

Also on Wednesday, the PSNI announced officers are investigating the theft of documents, including a spreadsheet containing the names of more than 200 serving officers and staff.

"The documents, along with a police issue laptop and radio, were believed to have been stolen from a private vehicle," Assistant Chief Constable Chris Todd said in a statement.

"We have contacted the officers and staff concerned to make them aware of the incident and an initial notification has been made to the office of the Information Commissioner regarding the data breach."