Friday 14 August 2009

Welcome to NI

NEW PSNI Chief Constable (elect) Matt Baggott looked pretty pleased with himself after landing the top spot here – but one has to wonder what he has thought about since signing on the dotted line.

As a devout signed up Christian, he ticked the DUP’s box; and as an advocate of community policing he ticked the Sinn Féin box.

At which point DUP or Sinn Féin is ticked off by Baggot is a matter of when as to opposed to if; and he no doubt will be ticked off by their contrary attitudes on a regular basis.

As he reflected after his appointment, one wonders whether he took a deep breath and wondered what he had gotten himself into.

Radio talk shows had atheists crying foul over his appointment and dissident republican supporters claiming armed struggle would continue.

Then comes the policing of so-called contentious parades…and then the controversy over the use of Tasers…and then devolution of policing and justice…and then…

A word of advice to Mr Baggott - take the attitude of Sir Hugh Orde and go on TV/radio once a month, disagree with everyone and agree with yourself. It pays to keep as many people as confused as possible as often as possible.

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