MATT BAGGOTT, the chief of Leicestershire constabulary in England, has been chosen as the next PSNI chief constable. He will succeed current Chief Constable Sir Hugh Orde, who is stepping down at the end of this month after seven years in the post.
The interview board, consisting of DUP, Sinn Féin, SDLP and Ulster Unionist politicians and independent members including chairman Barry Gilligan and deputy chairman Brian Rea, unanimously selected Mr Baggott (50) to fill the post last night.
DUP interview panel member Ian Paisley jnr described Mr Baggott as a “team player” and as an “innovator and radical policeman”.
Sinn Féin panel member Alex Maskey said Mr Baggott would be taking over at a time “when there was a great opportunity for continuing the process of change” in policing. Mr Gilligan said that all four candidates for the post were high-calibre and impressive.
Mr Baggott won the interview competition from two serving chief constables, Durham chief Jon Stoddart and West Mercia chief Paul West, and against the only Northern Ireland candidate, Jim Gamble, chief executive of the British Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre.
Mr Gamble previously served in the PSNI, reaching the rank of superintendent, and in the RUC including its special branch.
Mr Baggott, who is married with three children and is originally from south London, has been a policeman for 31 years, serving with the London Metropolitan Police, West Midlands Police and winning promotion to the position of Leicestershire chief constable in 2002.
He worked with former RUC and PSNI chief constable Sir Ronnie Flanagan on the British National Review of Policing.
He is president of the Christian Police Association and vice-president of the British National Association of Police Chaplains. “I have a very strong Christian faith,” he said when he briefly met the press last night after his appointment.
“Policing with the community is a major part of the Patten report and recommendations, and I am looking forward to moving it on to the next part of the journey. Policing with the community is definitely at the heart of what I do,” he added.
Mr Baggott was reluctant to flesh out at this early stage what particular approach he will take to the job which will include challenges such as dealing with the dissident republican threat and seeing, as proposed, the devolution of policing and justice powers to the Northern Executive.
“I am absolutely delighted to have been given this opportunity to lead the PSNI and serve the community as chief constable,” he said. “The PSNI has come through a significant change programme and I look forward to using my experience to build on the progress to date in the delivery of a professional policing service to all the people of Northern Ireland,” he added.
Mr Baggott, who said his main hobby was fishing, will be heading what is a new PSNI leadership team.
Recently, Judith Gillespie was promoted to deputy chief constable, replacing Paul Leighton who recently retired, while there were other changes at senior level.
There will be an interim period when Ms Gillespie will act as chief constable. Mr Gilligan said Mr Baggott would take up the post in matter of months.
Mr Gilligan said the policing board was looking forward to working with Mr Baggott.
“Matt Baggott has an impressive track record and in leading the PSNI forward his policing experiences will bring a new perspective to the delivery of policing here,” he added.
