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New police chief gets historic SF welcome (NewsLetter)
Northern Ireland’s new police chief yesterday received a cautious welcome from Sinn Fein as republicans – for the first time – praised a new chief constable’s appointment.
Former IRA internee Alex Maskey, who made history when he became the first Sinn Fein councillor in Belfast and then the first Sinn Fein Lord Mayor of the city, yesterday became the first Sinn Fein member to welcome a police chief constable to office.
The South Belfast MLA, who sits on the Policing Board, was one of the four political representatives involved in interviewing candidates for the PSNI’s top job, which went to Leicestershire chief constable Matt Baggott.
And, in a measure of dramatic political changes in the Province, the most welcoming statement came from the twice-interned Mr Maskey, something which made the Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) wary of the new man.
Secretary of State Shaun Woodward said that he hoped the unanimous decision of the four main political parties to back Mr Baggott’s appointment would increase confidence in the police.
Mr Maskey said of the new chief constable: “Certainly he convinced myself as he did all the other members of the panel yesterday that he is very sensitive to how to police in a diverse society.
“He will be under no illusions as he will have had to do his homework in terms of what the policing environment here is, what it has been and where it needs to be.
“He has said himself that he wants to bring the PSNI forward now on the rest of the journey.”
But Mr Maskey added: “He knows that there is a process of change – the Patten requirements are there, they are still not fully delivered and he is committed to delivering on all of that.”
TUV leader Jim Allister, who has been sharply critical of outgoing chief constable Sir Hugh Orde, said that he would judge Mr Baggott on his performance.
“Though coming to office with the blessing of Sinn Fein/IRA is far from a good recommendation, I will judge the new chief constable on his performance.”
The former MEP accused Sir Hugh of “denuding the PSNI of a terrorist-fighting capacity and adequate intelligence gathering facilities” and said that he had been a “lynchpin in the politicisation of policing in Northern Ireland”.
“I would call on the new chief constable to reverse Orde’s dangerous policy of wholesale removal of personal protection weapons from former members of the security forces and unlike Orde to come clean on how many convicted terrorists have themselves been issued with PPWs.
“I trust his replacement will be an improvement and in particular that for the sake of political expediency those who served gallantly in the RUC will not be disadvantaged under the new leadership.”
Irish Foreign Minister Micheál Martin congratulated Mr Baggott on his appointment and added: “In particular, I welcome his indication that the issue of community policing will remain an important priority in his own future work and that of the PSNI as a whole.
And a senior Labour MP last night said that he was “genuinely surprised” at Matt Baggott’s move from Leicestershire Constabulary to the PSNI.
Leicester East MP Keith Vaz, chairman of the House of Commons’ Home Affairs Committee, paid tribute to Mr Baggott’s work as chief constable of the local police force and said that he believed he would be a good PSNI chief constable.
“Matt Baggott has been an outstanding Chief Constable for Leicestershire,” he told the News Letter.
“I am genuinely surprised at this appointment and am disappointed that he will no longer be serving the people of Leicestershire as he has done for so many years.
“Hugh Orde will be a very difficult act to follow but I am sure that Mr Baggott will perform his task with distinction.
“The PSNI post is one of the most important British policing jobs with enormous challenges and I wish him well in meeting them.” “Over the term of office of Sir Hugh Orde, significant progress has been made towards securing widespread cross-community acceptance of Northern Ireland’s new policing arrangements.
“A further key step in this direction will be taken once full devolution of policing and justice takes place, a development which I hope to see completed over the coming months.”