NI Conservatives’ spokesman, Mark Brotherston, has congratulated Drew Harris on his appointment as Deputy Chief Constable of the PSNI.
“Mr Harris has a wealth of experience and we wish him all the best for the future”, Mark said. “The Deputy Chief Constable’s position is a challenging role and we’re confident that the PSNI has the best man for the job. Unfortunately the appointment process witnessed some unwarranted petulance from a Policing Board member belonging to Sinn Féin, which demonstrates the ambivalent attitude that some politicians in Northern Ireland continue to show toward the rule of law.”
“We hope that all political leaders now get behind the Deputy Chief Constable and other members of the PSNI’s team. Police officers deserve unequivocal backing when it comes to enforcing the rule of law. Unfortunately the force is too often used as a political football in Northern Ireland and it is frequently asked to police political problems which the Stormont parties should be sorting out themselves. Drew Harris and the Chief Constable, George Hamilton, now deserve the right political backing and leadership from right across the community, to help ensure their tenures are long and successful.”