Simon Byrne was appointed as the chief constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland in May 2019, but his tenure to date has been notable for a number of setbacks and controversies.
He arrived with 36 years of policing behind him – a third of it at high rank, with most of his career having been spent at Merseyside Police.
Mr Byrne held senior positions there – and then the Metropolitan Police and Greater Manchester Police – before his appointment as chief constable of Cheshire in 2014.
That job ended in 2017 in controversial circumstances, after he was accused of bullying and humiliating staff.
He was cleared of 74 misconduct allegations with a tribunal finding much of what was claimed was either exaggerated or probably did not happen.
When he officially took over from his predecessor Sir George Hamilton on 1 July 2019 – the beginning of a five-year contract – Mr Byrne became the fifth chief constable in the PSNI’s history.
Here’s a look at the notable events of his time as chief constable so far:
May 2019: New chief sworn in
Simon Byrne is appointed the PSNI’s new chief constable, replacing the outgoing Sir George Hamilton.
The other candidates for the top policing job were Steve Martin and Mark Hamilton, both PSNI officers, and Jon Boutcher, the head of Bedfordshire Police.
The head of the Policing Board says that Mr Byrne “brings a wealth of strategic and operational experience to the post”.
Although not a contractual requirement, Mr Byrne decides to move to Northern Ireland from England, tweeting that he looked forward to living “full-time in Northern Ireland as an active member of the community”.
September 2019: ‘We’ll have your kids’ controversy
Mr Byrne is criticised for suggesting the children of paramilitaries could be taken into care.
He clarifies his remarks afterwards saying he was “not suggesting children can be used as weapons in the fight against paramilitary crime”.
The chief constable first made the comments at a conference on the use of stop and search powers.
He said his message to paramilitaries was: “You carry on doing this and we will have your house, if you keep going we will have your car, we will have your kids, we will have your benefits and we will put you in jail.”
Mr Byrne says he was happy to withdraw “the interpretation that children are pawns, if that’s what’s been heard”, adding it was not his intention.
Sinn Féin’s Gerry Kelly calls the original remarks “unacceptable” and says the comments had caused “deep worry”.
February 2020: New recruitment campaign
The PSNI launches a new recruitment campaign, backed by First Minister Arlene Foster, and notably, Deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill.
Mr Byrne says the attendance of Ms O’Neill at its launch got it off to “the best possible start”.
It came amid continued concerns over the PSNI’s ability to increase its numbers of Catholic officers.
Sinn Féin has historically been critical of the role of the police in Northern Ireland, both with the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) and the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), which replaced it in 2001.
Deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill says her attendance at the recruitment campaign launch “speaks volumes”.
“We need a PSNI that is reflective in terms of the community in which it serves,” she said.
The PSNI saw numbers rise from 6,900 to 7,100.
However, the Northern Ireland Executive soon found itself swamped by other financial priorities as the Covid-19 pandemic hit.
June 2020: Branding backtrack
Simon Byrne is forced to backtrack on a proposal to “tinker” with the force’s badge on uniforms, admitting the idea was “a non-starter”.
As part of a branding refresh, he had publicly floated the idea of a modified emblem.
It would have removed the words Police Service Northern Ireland from the badge used on signs, vehicles and uniforms.
Unionist parties and the Police Federation strongly opposed the idea.
June 2020: Black Lives Matter protests
Following the death of George Floyd in the US, Black Lives Matter protests take place in Londonderry and Belfast on 6 June.
Between 60 and 70 fines are issued to those attending the anti-racism demonstrations, provoking accusations of inconsistency in the PSNI’s approach to Covid-19 regulations.
Covid-19 lockdown measures in place at the time banned people gathering in groups.
“On any other day, this police service would be standing right beside the organisers to facilitate their protest and their right to have their voices heard about the unjustifiable and unnecessary death of George Floyd,” says Assistant Chief Constable Alan Todd.
Organisers say efforts were made to maintain social distancing between those in attendance at the protests, which took place at Belfast’s Custom House Square and the Guildhall in Derry.
June 2020: Bobby Storey’s funeral
The funeral of IRA man Bobby Storey takes place in west Belfast on 30 June, with images of huge numbers lining the streets in a period of strict Covid-19 regulations.
Footage of the funeral causes huge controversy.
Deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill is among the mourners and her attendance leads to the biggest crisis in NI politics since devolution was restored in January 2020.
Ms O’Neill was part of the funeral cortege, which Sinn Féin said included no more than 30 people,
Critics suggest social distancing was not maintained among the crowds which lined the streets as the hearse drove by, nor by the large groups of people who walked behind the hearse at a greater distance.
Lockdown regulations at the time stated a maximum of 30 people were allowed to gather together outdoors.
No arrests are made by the PSNI for breaches of coronavirus regulations, but police begin an investigation.
August 2020: Major operation leads to counter-terrorism arrests
A number of arrests are made in Operation Arbacia, a MI5-PSNI counter-terrorism operation targeting the alleged leadership of the New IRA.
To date, nearly 50 charges have been brought against 10 individuals who have been remanded in custody.
The New IRA formed in 2012 and is said to have about 500 supporters and fewer than 100 prepared to plan and carry out attacks, principally against the police.
In 2019, it murdered journalist Lyra McKee during disorder in Londonderry.
December 2020: Bobby Storey funeral investigation completed
A PSNI investigation into potential Covid-19 breaches at Mr Storey’s funeral is completed, with a file submitted to public prosecutors.
Twenty-four people are interviewed as part of the investigation, including Deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill.
Deputy chief constable of Cumbria, Mark Webster, is brought in by the PSNI to oversee and direct inquiries.
Unionists are critical of the pace of the investigation.
December 2020: Apology over Black Lives Matter protests
Simon Byrne apologises after the Police Ombudsman found justification in claims the handling of the Black Lives Matter protests was unfair and discriminatory.
A report by Police Ombudsman Marie Anderson states it was “not intentional and not based on race or ethnicity”.
However, confidence in policing among some in minority communities has been “severely damaged”, it says.
Mr Byrne says: “The time is right to show some humility and say sorry.”
February 2021: Apology over memorial arrest
Simon Byrne apologises over the PSNI’s handling of a commemoration event to mark the anniversary of a gun attack, in which five people were murdered by loyalists.
An officer was suspended and another redeployed after a man was arrested at the event.
Simon Byrne acknowledged questions over his future at a news conference but said he would not quit.
“Clearly that’s the question on everybody’s lips, but I’m not a quitter.”