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Baggott's first day as PSNI chief | Baggott's first day as PSNI chief |
(21 minutes later) | |
Matt Baggott has taken over as the head of the Police Service of Northern Ireland. | |
The 50-year-old replaced Sir Hugh Orde and is the third leader of NI's rebranded police force. | |
The married father-of-three comes to the PSNI after seven years as chief constable of the Leicestershire Constabulary. | The married father-of-three comes to the PSNI after seven years as chief constable of the Leicestershire Constabulary. |
One of his first engagements will be a meeting with the Policing Board Chairman Barry Gilligan. | One of his first engagements will be a meeting with the Policing Board Chairman Barry Gilligan. |
Independent Policing Board member Trevor Ringland said he welcomed Mr Baggott's "fresh approach and focus on policing in the community". | Independent Policing Board member Trevor Ringland said he welcomed Mr Baggott's "fresh approach and focus on policing in the community". |
Speaking of the threat from dissident republicans, Mr Ringland said everyone needed to respond to it. | Speaking of the threat from dissident republicans, Mr Ringland said everyone needed to respond to it. |
"This is a challenge to police, but also to wider society," he said. | "This is a challenge to police, but also to wider society," he said. |
"These are our police officers. There are people out there trying to kill our police officers, and we, as a society have to take that on board and give the police the necessary information to put these people behind bars." | "These are our police officers. There are people out there trying to kill our police officers, and we, as a society have to take that on board and give the police the necessary information to put these people behind bars." |
Jimmy Spratt, a DUP member of the Policing Board, said Mr Baggott's "in-tray was already packed with serious issues requiring urgent attention". | Jimmy Spratt, a DUP member of the Policing Board, said Mr Baggott's "in-tray was already packed with serious issues requiring urgent attention". |
He said the DUP would continue to question the new chief constable on the phasing out of the full-time reserve, the closure of police stations and the removal of personal protection weapons from former security force members. | He said the DUP would continue to question the new chief constable on the phasing out of the full-time reserve, the closure of police stations and the removal of personal protection weapons from former security force members. |
SDLP Policing Board member Alex Attwood said Mr Baggott would need "to hit the ground running". | SDLP Policing Board member Alex Attwood said Mr Baggott would need "to hit the ground running". |
"The new chief constable faces a range of immediate challenges," he said. | "The new chief constable faces a range of immediate challenges," he said. |
"People here can't get their heads around 7,500 police officers, spending 60% of their time on filling out forms, less than half of whom are on the streets. The chief constable must fix this." | "People here can't get their heads around 7,500 police officers, spending 60% of their time on filling out forms, less than half of whom are on the streets. The chief constable must fix this." |
Operation Dissent | Operation Dissent |
Mr Baggott will also be meeting senior commanders of the force, which has 7,321 regular officers. | Mr Baggott will also be meeting senior commanders of the force, which has 7,321 regular officers. |
He takes over at a time of shrinking police budgets and a surge in dissident republican activity. | He takes over at a time of shrinking police budgets and a surge in dissident republican activity. |
Within the last month there has been the discovery of a 600lb bomb in a border area and civil disturbances in Lurgan. | Within the last month there has been the discovery of a 600lb bomb in a border area and civil disturbances in Lurgan. |
His command team was so concerned at the prospect of a dissident attack to overshadow his arrival they launched an operation aimed at disrupting it. | His command team was so concerned at the prospect of a dissident attack to overshadow his arrival they launched an operation aimed at disrupting it. |
Codenamed Operation Dissent, it saw an increase in vehicle checkpoints and high visibility patrols. | Codenamed Operation Dissent, it saw an increase in vehicle checkpoints and high visibility patrols. |
The threat from dissident republicans while not in the same league as that once posed by the IRA is deadly. | The threat from dissident republicans while not in the same league as that once posed by the IRA is deadly. |
Two soldiers and a police officer have been killed by dissidents in 2009. | Two soldiers and a police officer have been killed by dissidents in 2009. |
The murders were condemned across the political spectrum, with the leadership of mainstream republicanism branding the dissidents "traitors". | The murders were condemned across the political spectrum, with the leadership of mainstream republicanism branding the dissidents "traitors". |