Former PSNI Deputy Chief Constable is sworn in as Garda Commissioner.
At a ceremony in Kevin Street Garda Station in Dublin just after midnight. Drew Harris a former Deputy Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland became the first Garda Commissioner to be appointed from outside the state.
A unique ceremony for a unique and historical event.
Drew Harris was attested as a Garda so that he can now exercise all the powers of a commissioner. He then signed the oath, the Garda Code of Ethics, and the Official Secrets Act.
Commissioner Drew Harris then outlined a vision for policing the country defined by transparency, openness and integrity, which is responsive to the needs of society. His idea is for a police force that protects the people of Ireland and in particular the vulnerable.
The new commissioner now faces major challenges including the slow pace of Garda reform and the perceived failure of the organisation to implement change. The Policing Authority welcomes his appointment and says that he should now be allowed to get on with the job. Josephine Feehily, Chairperson of the Policing Authority, believes Drew Harris is the best candidate for the job and that he will be judged on his performance.
The Garda Commissioner's first formal meeting was with the Minister for Justice Charles Flanagan. Drew Harris's first task is to devise a policing plan for the next year and an overall policing plan for the next three years.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 3 September 2018. The reporter is Paul Reynolds.
