The Police Service of Northern Ireland has apologised after a major data breach revealed the personal details of all serving officers and staff members. 

The police force had been responding to a Freedom of Information request when it mistakenly published the surname, initial, rank or grade, the location and the departments of all its employees.

The Police Federation of Northern Ireland said its members were “appalled” by the revelation and called for the PSNI to respond swiftly.

"Rigorous safeguards ought to have been in place to protect this valuable information which, if in the wrong hands, could do incalculable damage,” chair Liam Kelly said.

"The men and women I represent are appalled by this breach.

“They are shocked, dismayed and justifiably angry.

“Like me, they are demanding action to address this unprecedented disclosure of sensitive information."

A Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) logo.

Assistant Chief Constable Chris Todd described the breach as a “simple human error” but that it had been “unacceptable”.

"We operate in an environment, at the moment, where there is a severe threat to our colleagues from Northern Ireland-related terrorism and this is the last thing that anybody in the organisation wants to be hearing this evening,” he said.

"I owe it to all of my colleagues to investigate this thoroughly and we've initiated that."

Northern Ireland’s Secretary of State Chris Heaton-Harris said he was "deeply concerned" by the data breach.

In February, off duty Detective Chief Inspector John Caldwell was shot in Tyrone in a case the PSNI are treating as attempted murder.

Main image: PSNI officers. Picture by: Alamy.com