Police Service of Northern Ireland names new chief constable

Simon Byrne has been appointed the next chief constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI).

He led Cheshire Police until 2017 and has more than three decades of policing experience.

George Hamilton steps down as PSNI chief next month.

Northern Ireland’s Policing Board chair Anne Connolly said: “Mr Byrne brings a wealth of strategic and operational policing experience to the role, he has 36 years of policing experience, 21 years as a Chief Officer and almost eight as a chief constable serving the Metropolitan Police, Merseyside, Greater Manchester and Cheshire.

“We are looking forward to working with him in further developing the PSNI as a highly professional and community focused organisation.”