Simon Byrne (police officer)
Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland | |
|---|---|
| In office 1 July 2019 – 4 September 2023 | |
| Deputy | Mark Hamilton |
| Preceded by | Sir George Hamilton |
| Succeeded by | Jon Boutcher |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 29 April 1963 Epsom, Surrey, England |
| Alma mater | University of Manchester |
| Profession | Police officer |
Simon Byrne,
Early life and education
Byrne was born on 29 April 1963 in Epsom, Surrey, England. He was educated at Neston High School, then a comprehensive school in Neston, Cheshire. He later studied police management at the University of Manchester, graduating with a Master of Arts (MA) degree.[1]
Police career
Byrne began his career in the police when he joined the
In 2006, he was promoted to
On 24 February 2014, he was selected as the next
Police Service of Northern Ireland
On 24 May 2019, Byrne was announced as the next Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI).[15] He took up the appointment on 1 July 2019.[16] He was paid £207,489 per year.[15] At a meeting of the Northern Ireland Policing Board on 6 April 2023, his contract as chief constable was extended by three years allowing his to continue in that role until 1 July 2027.[17]
A LucidTalk poll in 2023 found that only 16% of people in Northern Ireland had confidence in his leadership of the PSNI, compared with 60% who expressed no confidence. This followed the PSNI data breaches in August 2023.[18] Following an emergency meeting of the Northern Ireland Policing Board on 4 September 2023, Byrne resigned as Chief Constable.[19][20]
Personal life
In 1990, Byrne married Susan. Together they have three children, including one daughter who predeceased her parents.[9]
Honours
| Ribbon | Description | Notes |
|
Queen's Police Medal (QPM) |
|
|
Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal |
|
|
Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal |
|
|
Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Medal |
|
|
King Charles III Coronation Medal |
|
|
Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal |
|
References
- Who's Who 2019. Oxford University Press. 1 December 2018. Retrieved 5 September 2019.
- ^ Bloom, Ben (16 January 2012). "New police commissioner goes back to Paddington stomping ground". Ham&High. Retrieved 5 February 2014.
- ^ a b "Simon Byrne". About the Met – Leadership. Metropolitan Police. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
- ^ a b c "Preferred candidate for Cheshire chief constable is revealed". Chester Chronicle. 12 February 2014. Retrieved 9 March 2014.
- ^ "New Deputy Chief Constable Appointed". Salford Online. 21 February 2009. Retrieved 5 February 2014.
- ^ "Deputy Chief Constable lands new role with the Met". Rochdale Online. 27 October 2011. Retrieved 5 February 2014.
- ^ Keeling, Neal (21 October 2011). "London calling for one of GMP's top police officers". Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 8 December 2013.
- ^ "Crime Panel Approves Cheshire's New Chief Constable". Cheshire Police & Crime Commissioner. 25 February 2014. Retrieved 9 March 2014.
- ^ Who's Who 2023. Oxford University Press. 1 December 2022. Retrieved 5 September 2023.
- ^ "No. 61450". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 December 2015. p. N35.
- ^ Perraudin, Frances (23 August 2017). "Cheshire chief constable suspended over gross misconduct allegations". The Guardian. Retrieved 5 July 2018.
- ^ "Police chief 'was like Darth Vader'". BBC News. 17 September 2018. Retrieved 11 October 2018.
- ^ "Cheshire police chief Simon Byrne cleared of misconduct". BBC News. 11 December 2018. Retrieved 10 January 2019.
- ^ "Gross Misconduct Hearing: Former Chief Constable Simon Byrne". Cheshire PCC. Retrieved 5 September 2019.
- ^ a b Edwards, Mark (24 May 2019). "Simon Byrne appointed as new PSNI chief constable". The Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 5 September 2019.
- ^ O'Neill, Julian (1 July 2019). "New PSNI chief Simon Byrne sworn in". BBC News. Retrieved 5 September 2019.
- ^ "CHIEF CONSTABLE CONTRACT EXTENSION". Northern Ireland Policing Board. 31 May 2023. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
- ^ "Do you have confidence in (a) the PSNI?, and (b) the Chief Constable: Simon Byrne?". Twitter. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
- ^ Blevins, David (4 September 2023). "David Blevins on X: "BREAK: Simon Byrne resigns as Chief Constable of..."". X (formerly Twitter). Retrieved 4 September 2023.
- ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
- ^ "Cheshire's chief constable 'humbled' following presentation of Queen's Police Medal". The Warrington Guardian. Retrieved 15 April 2022.