Policing Board to decide on new chief constable
FOUR of the UK's highest ranking police officers will go head to head in the race to succeed Sir Hugh Orde as chief constable of the PSNI.
A senior Sinn Fein figure will be among the political and independent members of the Policing Board interviewing the quartet, with the successful candidate due to be announced on Tuesday evening.
The men vying to take over from Sir Hugh are:
Matt Baggott, Chief Constable of Leicestershire Constabulary;
Jim Gamble, Chief Executive of the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP);
Jon Stoddart, Chief Constable of Durham Constabulary;
Paul West, Chief Constable of West Mercia Police.
Five officers had been shortlisted for interview but last week Merseyside chief constable Bernard Hogan-Howe withdrew from the contest.
Sir Hugh is leaving the PSNI next month after seven years at the helm. He is taking up the post of president of the Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo).
Whoever replaces him will have the daunting task of tackling the increasing threat from dissident republican terrorists in the face of a dwindling budget, which was slashed by 120 million for the period 2008-11.
In addition, he will have to manage the transition required when policing and justice powers are devolved from Westminster to Stormont – a politically sensitive move that is expected within the next six months.
Crime rates have also risen in the Province in the last year following a steady period of decline – a setback the PSNI have put down to a number of factors, one being the effect of the recession.
The Policing Board's interview panel consists of chairman Barry Gilligan, vice chairman Brian Rea, independent member Rosaleen Moore and Stormont Assembly members Leslie Cree (UUP), Dolores Kelly (SDLP), Alex Maskey (Sinn Fein) and Ian Paisley jnr (DUP).
After they choose their preferred candidate, Northern Ireland Secretary of State Shaun Woodward will be asked to rubber-stamp the appointment.
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Thursday 09 February 2012
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