PSNI and Garda chiefs pledge deeper co-operation as new officers attested

By Claudia Savage, Press Association

The PSNI Chief Constable and the An Garda Síochána Commissioner have committed to “deepening the long-standing co-operation” between their forces at the attestation ceremony of new officers to the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

A total of 44 police officers were formally attested at the ceremony on Friday at the Police College, Garnerville in east Belfast.

Chief Constable Jon Boutcher welcomed Commissioner Justin Kelly to his first visit to such a ceremony in Northern Ireland.

“We thank him for his time to mark such a proud day for our new officers, their family and friends,” Mr Boutcher said.

“Our new constables are joining the service during our anniversary year, marking 25 years’ service to the community of Northern Ireland,

“There is no other profession like policing.

“Officers and staff literally save lives and improve and protect the quality of life for our communities every single day; the rewards are immeasurable.”

Mr Kelly said it was “an honour” to be at the event and thanked Mr Boutcher for the invitation to the “momentous day”.

“I know the sacrifices (officers) have made to get here and salute them for answering the call to serve their communities,” he said.

“I wish them well on joining our police family.

“I look forward to deepening the long-standing co-operation between An Garda Síochána and the PSNI as together we continue our work to keep all communities on this island safe.”

There was also a joint accompaniment to the ceremony which heard music from members of the Pipes and Drums of the PSNI and An Garda Síochána bands.

The Chief Constable added: “We welcome and celebrate our new colleagues in front of their family and friends who should be rightly proud of the commitment their loved ones have making a positive difference to life in Northern Ireland.

“The declaration made by every new officer underlines their commitment to serve the community with fairness, integrity, diligence and impartiality throughout their career within the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

“We will continue to engage with all communities and would strongly encourage anyone who is interested in a career in policing and who did not apply in our most recent student officer campaign to talk to us about future opportunities.

“We are determined for the Police Service to be even more representative of the community we serve and we want the diversity of our organisation to mirror the richness of the communities that make up Northern Ireland.

“We are seeking support from everyone in Northern Ireland to help us to achieve that objective.”