Matt Baggott, the outgoing Chief Constable of the Police Service in Northern Ireland, has been an “honest, hard-working cop, let down on many occasions by a lack of leadership from politicians”, according to NI Conservatives’ co-chair, Trevor Ringland. Mt Baggott steps down from his post at the end of June.
“The Chief Constable has always been committed sincerely to keeping people safe and delivering a community police service in Northern Ireland”, Trevor remarked. “He has done a sterling job of attempting to navigate the deep divisions in our society and leave a better community for our children and young people. Indeed if we all showed as much concern for young people in Northern Ireland as the police service, our society would be a better place. Unfortunately, he has been let down on countless occasions by political parties, intent upon using the PSNI as a political football and showing an equivocal attitude to the rule of law.”
“Matt Baggott deserved more and there is a responsibility on politicians to do better for his successor, George Hamilton. There’s an ongoing challenge for leaders in our society to work consistently towards building a better future and to combat division in our community. Matt Baggott carried out his duties with this in mind. The political parties at Stormont need to spend less time worrying about short term political battles and more showing genuine leadership. It would be a fitting tribute were they to offer his successor and the police service as a whole their full backing and give unequivocal support for the rule of law.”