Police officers in Northern Ireland are frightened and their families and friends could be "jeopardised" after a data breach a former NI justice minister has saidIn response to a freedom of information request, the Police Service of Northern Ireland shared names of all police and civilian personnel, where they were based and their roles.
Many, especially from nationalist communities, keep their employment secret, in some cases even from many family members. Each line contains multiple pieces of information from the top of the organisation - Chief Constable Simon Byrne - down. But the release of employee names could still expose individuals, many of whom take great care to keep who they work for a secret, even, in some cases, from friends and family.
Police officers in Northern Ireland were regularly attacked by republican paramilitary groups during the Troubles and members of the PSNI have also been targeted in gun and bomb attacks in the years following the Good Friday Agreement.