ABSTRACT
The post of Chief Constable in Northern Ireland has historically been one of the most challenging and high-profile positions in UK policing. It is a role which has evolved over almost 100 years of disputed state formation, political unrest, violent conflict and the transformation of that conflict into an unsteady peace. This chapter will reflect upon the history of Chief Constables in Northern Ireland, with a particular focus on the role of the Chief post-1969, and the leadership challenges presented by civil unrest, paramilitary violence, cooperation with the army and the bipartisan nature of policing in a divided society. It will also explore the role of the police and the Chief Constable specifically as an agent for change in an environment in transition and the significance of political skill as a mediating factor for policing change itself. The chapter concludes with some reflections on the dual lessons of policing political conflict and engaging in peace building from the Northern Ireland experience and what we can learn about police leadership and change in less extreme contexts.
