Two top officers out of race to replace Flanagan
Two of the North’s most senior police officers could be out of the running to become the next chief constable, it emerged today.
With advertisements for one of the toughest policing jobs in the world set to be published, it’s understood the criteria will block assistant chief constables Stephen White and Sim Kincaid.
Members of the Policing Board in Belfast, which has responsibility for recruiting outgoing chief constable Ronnie Flanagan’s successor, have agreed specifications for the post.
Sources on the board confirmed candidates must have completed at least two years’ service at ACC level and undertaken the senior command course at Bramshill in Hampshire, England.
Mr White and Mr Kincaid, who have helped drive forward change within the province’s force during its transition from the RUC to the Police Service of Northern Ireland, were seen as serious contenders for the €212,000-a-year job.
But having only been appointed ACCs in April last year, they do not meet length of service requirements. It effectively leaves just one Northern Ireland man in contention - Belfast ACC Alan McQuillan.
Another two senior PSNI officers among the favourites, Deputy Chief Constable Colin Cramphorn and Chris Albiston, who has just returned from secondment in Kosovo, are both English-born.
