Published Monday, 22 August 2011
In some cases, the object of the notification letter was visible through the plastic windows of the envelopes.
The one-off recognition payments are part of a £20m scheme secured prior to the devolution of policing and justice for officers who served in the RUC Part-Time Reserve.
David Ford said:"I share the concerns raised and want to apologise for this error and for any distress this has caused. I have initiated an urgent security assessment."
Mr Ford said his department set up a hotline manned by six staff for those who have concerns about their safety.
"In addition, a review is being conducted into the circumstances of how this regrettable incident occurred," he added.
A woman affected by the security breach told UTV she was "embarrassed for the department of justice".
"I have taken great lengths throughout my career as a part-time reservist to protect my security, in fact I still do that", the former reservist told UTV.
"It's such a basic admin rule that you don't put a subject line in an address window envelope, and, as some people have pointed out to me, with the sensitivity of this you wouldn't even use a window envelope in the first place", the woman added.
She also questioned the fact that the hotline is being manned by DOJ staff and called for either the police or the Police Federation of Northern Ireland to take over.
Police Federation chair Terry Spence met with senior officials from the Department of Justice on Monday to discuss the security breach.
"I've sought assurances and been given it, that there will be a full investigation into how this potentially very serious breach of security could have happened in the first place - especially with the background of a very serious escalating threat from dissident republicans," he said.
West Tyrone UUP MLA Ross Hussey, a former police reservist whose letter arrived at his home with sensitive security information clearly visible in the envelope window, called for "somebody's head" to roll over the breach.
"The person who's at the top of the DOJ is the Minister Mr Ford", he added.
The possible security threat to ex-RUC reservists - many of whom went on to join the PSNI - has also prompted another MLA to call for former members to have their personal protection weapons restored.
"Many of these officers had their Personal Protection Weapons removed from them," said DUP MLA Ian McCrea.
"I will be making requests to the Chief Constable that those who have lost them and wish to avail of them again are made a priority in order to ensure their personal protection and that of their families is ensured," he said.
"The Justice Minister and Chief Constable must work together to deal with this matter," Mr McCrea added.
"Those former officers affected should have all options open to them including the re-housing scheme if the security breach is deemed to be of such significance."
A spokesperson for the Police Federation of Northern Ireland said Mr McCrea's request for guns to be reissued to reservists was unlikely to be fulfilled.
He said requests for PPW would be looked at on an individual basis, and weapons would only be authorised if there was a serious identified threat.
Any recipient of the Gratuity Scheme letter who has concerns about their personal security can contact the Department of Justice helpline on 028 90522444 between 9am - 5pm, Monday - Friday.