As Tom Constantine steps down from his post after overseeing the reform of Northern Ireland's police service for the last three years, Chief Reporter Sharon O'Neill meets his successor Al Hutchinson and assesses some of the challenges that lie ahead of the former Canadian Mounted Police office.
As a Canadian 'Mountie', Al Hutchinson was proud to wear the dashing red tunic of the police force which boasts of always getting its man.
Having worked for the Police Oversight Commissioner's office since its establishment in 2000, the father-of-three will tomorrow take on a new role after the departure of Tom Constantine.
His appointment as the man who will oversee the continued implementation of the north's policing reforms suggests that the Police Oversight Commissioner's office knew it had 'got its man'.
Before taking on the mantle of commissioner, the 56-year-old was chief of staff and in charge of the day-to-day running of the Belfast office.
This brought him in direct contact with various aspects of the reforms, the progress of their implementation and how they match up to Patten's vision of a new beginning to policing.
The commission's ninth report, published earlier this month, noted substantial change in a number of areas of policing but expressed concern at the lack of progress in the same key areas which dominated previous assessments.
Unresolved issues in the quarterly check of the pace of reforms include:
- that there is no coherent short or long-term strategy nor funding for an overhaul of below-standard stations
- the insufficient number of district commanders and their officers with all their civilian support staff
- that the service's devolution of authority remains unclear
- that as of September 2003 the service had yet to develop a concrete plan for the implementation of an early warning system on police conduct
- the problem of attracting Catholic civilians to the force
- that police training facilities remain inadequate.
Concern was again raised about Special Branch – once famously dubbed a "force within a force" – with the lack of progress made on the full merging of the unit with CID being noted on several occasions.
The commission's latest report reiterated the need to restructure Special Branch. An initial police proposal was inadequate and an evaluation in September showed little evidence of progress.
However, the commission noted that last month a detailed plan had been provided to establish a firm timescale for reforms. This was described as a "first step".
Over the past year Special Branch has been at the centre of several controversies over the handling of intelligence and running of agents in loyalist and republican paramilitary groups.
In April Britain's most senior police officer, Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir John Stevens, confirmed that elements of Special Branch had colluded in the murder of Catholic solicitor Pat Finucane in 1989.
Sinn Féin has yet to endorse the new policing arrangements, citing Special Branch as one of the major obstacles.
Al Hutchinson, no doubt well informed on nationalist concerns, said he expected sweeping changes of the unit to be completed by May.
The transformation of Special Branch stems not only from Patten's recommendations but also from criticisms of the police's handling of murder inquiries and the original Omagh bomb probe. Mr Hutchinson said he was confident that the outstanding issues would be fully addressed.
"There has been structural change already. As Tom Constantine noted, it (the revised police plan on Special Branch) was a good faith effort," he said.
"It would appear to satisfy Patten. What Patten wanted to see was the transition of a security service. That plan appears to lay that out.
"It's important to have a force capable of counter-terrorism but at the same time to manage those talents into criminal investigations, particularly some of those issues that plague the people of Northern Ireland – violent crime and organised crime."
With the oversight team's work due to end in May 2005, Mr Hutchinson has several targets while at the helm.
"A tremendous degree of progress has already been made by policing institutions over the last three and a half years, reflecting the commitment of the Police Service of Northern Ireland and the very short amount of time in the context of change management in any organisation and particularly policing," he said.
"I am confident however, that organisations and individuals committed to the full implementation of Patten will continue to make further solid and fundamental steps towards achieving this goal.
"While our usual level of monitoring will, of course, continue during the next 18 months, I will maintain a particular focus on the Patten accountability issues, such as the operations of the new District Policing Partnerships and their evolving relationships with District Command Units.
"The oversight team will also focus on issues relating to police personnel and management, the police service's training infrastructure, which impact on most Patten recommendations, and the full and timely implementation of the Special Branch restructuring plan recently received. I will continue the process set out in Patten to ensure transition does happen.
"It's not just me. It is a very experienced team. Our term ends in May 2005. At that time we will chronicle what remains, if anything.
"There will be issues like the police college not completed yet and other police estates."
One of Mr Hutchinson's key goals is ensuring that police do not use Gough barracks in Armagh as an interrogation facility.
The service was severely criticised by the commission for questioning paramilitary suspects at the holding centre in January and September of this year after it was supposed to have been closed.
On one occasion police did not seek official authorisation from the Secretary of State to redesignate the facility as a holding centre to enable officers to question a suspect.
In his last report as oversight commissioner Tom Constantine hit out at the apparent U-turn to use Gough as a holding centre – one of the most infamous in Northern Ireland and viewed as a symbol of the past.
The former New York police chief's successor insisted that although his team had not been happy at the move, it did not represent a breach of trust. He indicated that he would be keeping a close eye on the issue.
"We will continue to monitor all of the Patten recommendations. We will report when they are not implemented," Mr Hutchinson said.
"Stay tuned to see what the status of Gough is next April."
With accountability still high on the policing agenda, Mr Hutchinson dismissed accusations that the commission was a "toothless tiger".
"I probably would disagree. Our power is persuasive in that we are required by law to file reports three times a year," he said.
"The Policing Board plays close attention to the information, opinions and judgments we provide. We do not have direct power over police reforms.
"That in itself is appropriate. An oversight commission from outside Northern Ireland should not be involved in the governance of policing in Northern Ireland."
He added, however: "We do have influence which I believe facilitates the change."
Chief Constable Hugh Orde has welcomed Mr Hutchinson's appointment and the new oversight commissioner said he was equally confident that Mr Orde would deliver proper policing to the whole community.
"There has been significant change. It is a matter of stepping back and looking at it," Mr Hutchinson said.
"The leadership is sound. The Chief Constable and senior management team are providing the direction and the board is fully meeting its mandate.
"If Patten had to look at the service now he would see the majority of his framework in place. He would be satisfied with the change to date. It is an excellent framework for any police agency."
With the recent dissident republican attacks against members of the District Policing Partnerships – set up to promote greater community input into policing – it is clear that there is still strong opposition in some quarters to the new arrangements.
Mr Hutchinson was reluctant to call directly on Sinn Féin to join the Policing Board and instead he issued an appeal to the whole community.
"As Patten said, the entire community should join the policing process. Until all of the community is represented there will remain a missing part," he said.
"In spite of that, there has been tremendous progress. I have seen a lot of change in my three years of living in Northern Ireland.
"The process of change is permanent and I see it progressing. There is an inevitability about it.
"Northern Ireland's society has its own issues. The diversity is much more extensive in Canada but there are commonalities. The men and women policing here are genuine public service providers interested in policing."
Despite his familiarity with the post, Mr Hutchinson will get down to business with the steely determination of any man taking on a new job. And he does so after a Christmas break at home in Canada where he uses every opportunity to challenge his compatriots' misconceptions about life in Northern Ireland.
"My wife and I just love the people," he said.
"When we are back home in Canada we like to see ourselves as ambassadors for tourism in Northern Ireland.
"People would just see of Ireland the reports of the bombings, shootings and negative politics. It is not life as you live it on the ground."
