Former PSNI chief constable says risk-taking is vanishing in modern policing

Hugh Orde, the former chief constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland, says a willingness to take risks is a skill that is disappearing from modern policing. Orde, who served as chief constable from 2002 until September 2009, made the assessment in an essay released for the force’s 25th anniversary.

He argues that current supervisors spend too much time double-checking events from offices rather than supporting officers on the street. This shift, he claims, has been worsened by bureaucratic review processes that attempt to second-guess frontline decisions.

Orde joined the Metropolitan Police in London in 1977. He was asked in 2000 by then-Met deputy commissioner John Stevens to take day-to-day control of the investigation into the 1989 murder of Belfast solicitor Pat Finucane. That role gave him insight into Northern Ireland’s policing challenges before he applied to become the first chief constable of the PSNI in 2002.

His appointment was not without controversy. Members of the Policing Board voiced opposition, and the inspector of constabulary at the time, Dan Crompton, had to confirm Orde’s suitability after interviews. Orde noted that friends from his London days thought he was mad to walk willingly into Northern Ireland’s political landscape.

Upon arrival, Orde was tasked with implementing the remaining 170 recommendations from the Patten Report. These reforms included a 50-50 split in Catholic and Protestant recruitment and allowing officers to play Gaelic football. By the time he left in 2009, he stated that approximately 90 percent of the report’s recommendations had been delivered.

The reform process was monitored by a 19-person Policing Board led by Prof Desmond Rea and Denis Bradley. Orde described this oversight as a cornerstone of the changes. He also noted that the PSNI became one of the most scrutinized police services in the world, facing pressure from the EU, American politicians, and local interest groups.

Orde maintained that operational independence was essential. He set a red line against political interference in policing decisions. He contrasted the PSNI’s structure with developments in England and Wales, where the creation of Police and Crime Commissioners has, in his view, compromised the balance of power and led to a more risk-averse culture.

He pointed to specific incidents during his tenure that tested the force, including the murder of Constable Stephen Carroll and the robbery at Northern Bank. Carroll was the first PSNI officer killed by terrorists, a reminder of the dangers officers faced daily. Orde said the team stayed together for an unusual amount of time, which helped sustain momentum during a complex transition.

Orde also criticized the handling of legacy issues from the Troubles. He created the Historical Enquiries Team to provide families with information about deaths, but he said the team was effectively ended in 2013 by a report from the inspector of constabulary that he described as half-baked. He added that the failure to adopt the Eames-Bradley Report recommendations on legacy compensation remains an unfinished business.

The essay is part of a series titled Policing the Peace: The Burden of Duty, which will be published online starting November 5. Orde concludes that frontline officers need leadership that empowers them rather than condemning them after the fact for doing their best in an uncertain environment.