Police in Northern Ireland have said a poster featuring the personal details of three serving officers was placed on a bus shelter in County Derry. An investigation has been launched into the incident in Dungiven on Thursday. It follows a data breach last month in which the details of about 10,000 officers and staff were mistakenly released online. On Friday night the PSNI said the poster contained incorrect information. The assistant chief constable, Chris Todd, said: “This was a clear attempt to intimidate police officers, staff and their families, but police can confirm that the information contained on the poster is incorrect.” Speaking earlier, he said: “We have contacted those involved to make them aware, and recognise the impact this may have on them and their families. “The safety and welfare of all our officers and staff remains our priority and additional security and reassurance patrols have already been implemented across Northern Ireland as part of our organisational response. “We have commenced an investigation into this matter and I appeal to anyone with any information relating to this incident to contact police on 101. We are particularly keen to hear from anyone who was travelling through Dungiven last night and who has any dashcam footage.” Details of about 10,000 PSNI officers and staff, including the surname and first initial of every employee, their rank or grade, where they are based and the unit they work in were released in the data breach. The PSNI has confirmed that the list is in the hands of dissident republicans, who continue to target officers. Earlier this year DCI John Caldwell was shot a number of times at a leisure facility in County Tyrone. Police officers and their representative organisations have spoken out in recent weeks over concerns for their safety. A number of other data breaches have since come to light, including the loss of a police officer’s laptop and notebook that contained details of 42 officers and members of staff after the items fell from a moving vehicle. On Friday night, the DUP leader, Jeffrey Donaldson, said the party had submitted a motion of no confidence in the PSNI chief constable, Simon Byrne, to the Northern Ireland Policing Board. “Confidence in the chief constable has been eroded, both amongst the wider public, but significantly also amongst serving PSNI officers and staff,” Donaldson said. “In light of that, we believe that a change of leadership is required. Allowing the issue to drift will only cause greater problems for public confidence and for the PSNI as an organisation.”
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