Trade union representing Police Service of Northern Ireland civilian staff considering a confidence vote in Chief Constable Simon Byrne

Nipsa official Tracy Godfrey said she feels it is likely that police staff colleagues will want to have such a vote.

She told BBC Radio Ulster's Nolan Show that members want to show solidarity with colleagues from the Police Federation, which represents rank and file officers, after it emerged Mr Byrne is considering an appeal against a High Court ruling over the disciplining of two junior officers around conduct at a memorial event in Belfast.

"I think people have just come to the end of the road with how the organisation is being treated, they have just had enough," she said.

"It's been one disaster after another, the data breach after being told for many years by DoJ (the Department of Justice) that police staff aren't under the same kind of threat as police officers when we clearly are and always have been. The data breach comes out and our names are on it, we are not weaponised like police officers so we have no way of defending ourselves if someone comes knocking on our door.

"Also the fact that we're just not paid the same amount of danger money as police officers, and that has been going on for 33 years and people's patience and goodwill is now gone."

Ms Godfrey said police staff are fearful of how they would be treated if a similar situation arose as the two police constables.

"I don't think we would be protected," she said.

Ms Godfrey added: "There are many different conversations going on, and thought processes going on. Not everyone thinks exactly the same, so I can't carte blanche say I don't have faith in anybody in the top team, but there is a real concern about the leadership of this particular situation, how it has impacted on the police officers and the potential impact it could have on police staff."