New deputy chief constable chosen

Policing Board interviewed five officers

The Policing Board has selected the new deputy chief constable for the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

He is Paul Leighton, 45, who has been a police officer since 1980.

Mr Leighton became an assistant chief constable in Northumbria in January 2000 after 20 years' serving in the RUC.

LEIGHTON'S CAREER

Joined RUC in 1980

Served as constable in Londonderry, Dungannon and Strabane

Promoted to RUC superintendent in 1994

Became chief superintendent in 1998

Northumbria assistant chief constable in 2000

The Policing Board interviewed five officers for the post, including two PSNI assistant chief constables.

Mr Leighton said he was "delighted" about his appointment.

"Working with the community in order to ensure effective and efficient policing for the whole community is at the heart of the PSNI and I hope that I am able to play a full part in achieving that goal."

Paul Leighton: Police officer since 1980

Mr Leighton is a law graduate from Queen's University Belfast and holds a post-graduate diploma in applied criminology and police studies from Cambridge University.

He replaces Colin Cramphorn, who left to become chief constable of West Yorkshire.

Policing Board chairman Professor Desmond Rea, said they had been looking for a "dynamic and experienced police officer to work with the chief constable and all the officers of the PSNI".

"ACC Leighton will have plenty of challenging and rewarding issues to get to grips with in the coming months and years ahead and we hope he will be of great support to the chief constable.

"I know that he will work closely with all those involved in moving forward the policing agenda," he said.

Hugh Orde took over as chief constable from Sir Ronnie Flanagan in September 2002.

The changes to policing in Northern Ireland came as part of sweeping reforms to the service under the terms of the 1998 Good Friday Agreement peace accord.

New PSNI trainees are recruited on a 50:50 Catholic-Protestant basis and recruitment will continue under this quota system.

Last April, the first group of 44 recruits trained specifically for the PSNI graduated.