The Northern Ireland Policing Board has confirmed Bobby Singleton as the new Deputy Chief Constable for the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI). The recommendation of the Appointment Panel was unanimously ratified by the Policing Board and was approved by the Justice Minister.
Announcing the appointment, Policing Board Chair Mukesh Sharma MBE DL said,
“I am pleased to confirm that Bobby Singleton has been appointed as the new Deputy Chief Constable of the PSNI.
We look forward to working with him in this key position of support to the Chief Constable. ”
The appointment process was progressed on the key principles of merit, fairness, openness and transparency.
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For further information, please contact the Policing Board's Communications Branch on 07801 738795
Notes to Editors
1.Biography: Assistant Chief Constable Bobby Singleton joined the Police Service of Northern Ireland as one of our first student officers in November 2001. Over the course of the last twenty years he has gained a broad range of policing experience in uniform community policing roles, public order and public safety command and as a detective investigating sexual violence, terrorism and other serious and organised crime. Between 2014 and 2016 as a Superintendent he was responsible for leading the delivery of community policing services for the city of Belfast and as a firearms and public order commander a series of complex and challenging multi-agency operations. From April 2016 to May 2019, then a Detective Superintendent, he was the service’s lead for drugs, Organised Crime and the then newly established ‘Paramilitary Crime Task Force’ with the National Crime Agency and Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs. On promotion to Detective Chief Superintendent he was first appointed as head of the Police Service of Northern's Legacy Investigation Branch in May 2019 before taking up a role as the head of Headquarters Executive Support in October 2020. In March 2021 ACC Singleton was temporarily appointed head of the Community Safety Department and responsible for public protection, crime prevention, criminal justice and custody matters. In December 2021 ACC Singleton graduated from the Strategic Command Course before being substantively appointed by the Northern Ireland Policing Board in January 2022. ACC Singleton holds a degree in modern history as well as a post graduate diploma and masters in police leadership and management. ACC Singleton is chair of the Police Athletic Association, a member of the Newforge Community Development trust and senior sponsor for the service’s Autism support group.
2. The appointment of a new Deputy Chief Constable is made by the Policing Board in accordance with Section 35 (2) of the Police (NI) Act 2000. The appointment was approved by the Justice Minister in line with legislation. The fixed term contract for this position is 5 years and is subject to all required terms and conditions being satisfied. The salary for this position is in accordance with nationally agreed Chief Officers pay. This is currently £190,476 ( plus benefits).
3.The appointment panel comprised: Board Chair Mukesh Sharma MBE DL, Trevor Clarke MLA, Gerry Kelly MLA, Kate Laverty and Peter McReynolds MLA.