Ronnie Flanagan
Encyclopedia
Sir Ronald Flanagan, GBE
, QPM
, (born 25 March 1949 in Belfast
) was the Home Office
Chief Inspector of Constabulary
for the United Kingdom
excluding Scotland. Flanagan was previously the Chief Constable
of the Police Service of Northern Ireland
since its creation in 2001 to 2002, and had been Chief Constable of its predecessor, the Royal Ulster Constabulary
(RUC) until 2001.
He joined the RUC in 1970 while studying Physics
at Queen's University of Belfast
. He resigned in 2002, and was replaced by Hugh Orde
. Since then he has served in Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary
and was appointed as HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary in 2005. He was tasked to review the police arrangements in Iraq
in December 2005 as part of the British
involvement there. Following Flanagan's retirement in December 2008, Denis O'Connor succeeded him as Her Majesty's Acting Chief Inspector of Constabulary.
Sir Ronald then took up the post of strategic adviser to the Abu Dhabi Police Force, a post he held for almost two years until he succeeded Lord Condon as chairman of the International Cricket Council
's Anti-Corruption & Security Unit (ACSU).
On 22 January 2007 a report by the Police Ombudsman
for Northern Ireland, Nuala O'Loan
, made findings of collusion between members of the proscribed paramilitary organization, the Ulster Volunteer Force, and officers under the command of Flanagan. The reports were acknowledged by the current Chief Constable Sir Hugh Orde who apologized for the wrong-doing of his officers, and by the then British Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
Peter Hain
.
Flanagan denied any wrong-doing or acting with any knowledge of the events in question. He did not deny that these events had taken place. In the aftermath of the ombudsman's report, Irish nationalist
politicians said he should be forced to resign or fired from his job as Chief Inspector of Constabulary.
The Police Ombudsman had criticised Flanagan's role in the RUC inquiry into the Omagh Bombing
of 1998, in a report published in 2001, to which Flanagan's response was that he would “publicly commit suicide” if he believed her report was correct, though he later apologised for the form of words he used.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, QPM
Queen's Police Medal
The Queen's Police Medal is awarded to police officers in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth for gallantry or distinguished service. Recipients may use the post-nominal letters "QPM", although the right to use these was only granted officially on 20 July 1969...
, (born 25 March 1949 in Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
) was the Home Office
Home Office
The Home Office is the United Kingdom government department responsible for immigration control, security, and order. As such it is responsible for the police, UK Border Agency, and the Security Service . It is also in charge of government policy on security-related issues such as drugs,...
Chief Inspector of Constabulary
Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary
Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary for Scotland in the United Kingdom have statutory responsibility for the inspection of police forces.-England and Wales:...
for the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
excluding Scotland. Flanagan was previously the Chief Constable
Chief Constable
Chief constable is the rank used by the chief police officer of every territorial police force in the United Kingdom except for the City of London Police and the Metropolitan Police, as well as the chief officers of the three 'special' national police forces, the British Transport Police, Ministry...
of the Police Service of Northern Ireland
Police Service of Northern Ireland
The Police Service of Northern Ireland is the police force that serves Northern Ireland. It is the successor to the Royal Ulster Constabulary which, in turn, was the successor to the Royal Irish Constabulary in Northern Ireland....
since its creation in 2001 to 2002, and had been Chief Constable of its predecessor, the Royal Ulster Constabulary
Royal Ulster Constabulary
The Royal Ulster Constabulary was the name of the police force in Northern Ireland from 1922 to 2000. Following the awarding of the George Cross in 2000, it was subsequently known as the Royal Ulster Constabulary GC. It was founded on 1 June 1922 out of the Royal Irish Constabulary...
(RUC) until 2001.
He joined the RUC in 1970 while studying Physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
at Queen's University of Belfast
Queen's University of Belfast
Queen's University Belfast is a public research university in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The university's official title, per its charter, is the Queen's University of Belfast. It is often referred to simply as Queen's, or by the abbreviation QUB...
. He resigned in 2002, and was replaced by Hugh Orde
Hugh Orde
Sir Hugh Stephen Roden Orde, OBE, QPM is the current President of the Association of Chief Police Officers, representing the 44 police forces of England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Between 2002-2009 he was the Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland .Sir Hugh joined London's...
. Since then he has served in Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary
Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary
Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary for Scotland in the United Kingdom have statutory responsibility for the inspection of police forces.-England and Wales:...
and was appointed as HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary in 2005. He was tasked to review the police arrangements in Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
in December 2005 as part of the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
involvement there. Following Flanagan's retirement in December 2008, Denis O'Connor succeeded him as Her Majesty's Acting Chief Inspector of Constabulary.
Sir Ronald then took up the post of strategic adviser to the Abu Dhabi Police Force, a post he held for almost two years until he succeeded Lord Condon as chairman of the International Cricket Council
International Cricket Council
The International Cricket Council is the international governing body of cricket. It was founded as the Imperial Cricket Conference in 1909 by representatives from England, Australia and South Africa, renamed the International Cricket Conference in 1965, and took up its current name in 1989.The...
's Anti-Corruption & Security Unit (ACSU).
On 22 January 2007 a report by the Police Ombudsman
Police Ombudsman
The Office of the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland is a non-departmental public body intended to provide an independent, impartial police complaints system for the people and police under the Police Acts of 1998 and 2000.-Personnel:...
for Northern Ireland, Nuala O'Loan
Nuala O'Loan
Nuala Patricia O'Loan, Baroness O'Loan, DBE is a noted public figure in Northern Ireland. She was the first Police Ombudsman in between 1999 and 2007. In July 2009, it was announced that she was to be appointed to the House of Lords. Consequently, she was raised to the peerage as Baroness O'Loan,...
, made findings of collusion between members of the proscribed paramilitary organization, the Ulster Volunteer Force, and officers under the command of Flanagan. The reports were acknowledged by the current Chief Constable Sir Hugh Orde who apologized for the wrong-doing of his officers, and by the then British Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, informally the Northern Ireland Secretary, is the principal secretary of state in the government of the United Kingdom with responsibilities for Northern Ireland. The Secretary of State is a Minister of the Crown who is accountable to the Parliament of...
Peter Hain
Peter Hain
Peter Gerald Hain is a British Labour Party politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for the Welsh constituency of Neath since 1991, and has served in the Cabinets of both Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, firstly as Leader of the House of Commons under Blair and both Secretary of State for...
.
“While I appreciate that it cannot redress some of the tragic consequences visited upon the families of those touched by the incidents investigated in this report, I offer a whole-hearted apology for anything done or left undone.” – Hugh Orde
Flanagan denied any wrong-doing or acting with any knowledge of the events in question. He did not deny that these events had taken place. In the aftermath of the ombudsman's report, Irish nationalist
Irish nationalism
Irish nationalism manifests itself in political and social movements and in sentiment inspired by a love for Irish culture, language and history, and as a sense of pride in Ireland and in the Irish people...
politicians said he should be forced to resign or fired from his job as Chief Inspector of Constabulary.
The Police Ombudsman had criticised Flanagan's role in the RUC inquiry into the Omagh Bombing
Omagh bombing
The Omagh bombing was a car bomb attack carried out by the Real Irish Republican Army , a splinter group of former Provisional Irish Republican Army members opposed to the Good Friday Agreement, on Saturday 15 August 1998, in Omagh, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. Twenty-nine people died as a...
of 1998, in a report published in 2001, to which Flanagan's response was that he would “publicly commit suicide” if he believed her report was correct, though he later apologised for the form of words he used.
External links
- Biography from Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary