Sir Hugh steps down
Sir Hugh Orde steps down on Monday as chief constable of the PSNI to take on the role of president of the Association of Police Officers.
Leicestershire police chief Matt Baggott will take up the post on September 22nd.
In political terms, Sir Hugh’s seven year tenure has been largely successful. Sinn Fein halted their historic opposition to policing and Sir Hugh was the first top police officer to meet with party president Gerry Adams, paving the way for support for new policing arrangements.
But the past year has been a tough one for policing with the murders of Constable Stephen Carroll and two soldiers at Massereene Army Barracks in Antrim.
Sir Hugh’s successor 50-year-old Matt Baggott is a firm believer in taking neighbourhood-style policing. He faces a series of challenges when he takes up the post, including tackling an upsurge in dissident republican violence in the face of a dwindling budget.
He will also have to manage the transition period of the devolution of policing and justice powers.
