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Drew Harris

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Drew Harris
OBE QPM
21st Garda Commissioner
Incumbent
Assumed office
3 September 2018
DeputyAnne Marie McMahon
Shawna Coxon
Preceded byDónall Ó Cualáin (Acting)
Deputy Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland
In office
13 October 2014 – 3 September 2018
Chief ConstableGeorge Hamilton
Preceded byJudith Gillespie
Succeeded byMark Hamilton
Personal details
Born
Jeremy Andrew Harris[1]

(1965-04-05) 5 April 1965 (age 59)[2]
Belfast, Northern Ireland
Spouse
Jane Harris
​
(m. 1988)​
RelationsAlwyn Harris (father)
Children4
Alma materOpen University
University of Cambridge

Jeremy Andrew Harris, OBE, QPM (born 5 April 1965), is the current Commissioner of the Garda Síochána in the Republic of Ireland, having assumed office in September 2018. He previously served as Deputy Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) from 2014 to 2018.[3][4]

Biography

[edit]

Harris's father, senior RUC officer Alwyn Harris, was murdered by the Provisional IRA in 1989.[2]

Harris joined the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) in 1983, rising to become Deputy Chief Constable of the PSNI in October 2014.[3]

Following an international selection process, which included a salary increase to €250,000 to attract greater interest,[4] Harris was announced as the new Garda Commissioner on 26 June 2018, becoming the first Commissioner to be appointed from outside the Garda Síochána.[5] He took over the leadership of the Garda Síochána from Dónall Ó Cualáin, who had served as acting Garda Commissioner since the resignation of Nóirín O'Sullivan in September 2017, following a number of Garda scandals.[6] His appointment as Garda Commissioner was initially for five years.[4]

In July 2023, the Garda Representative Association announced the rank and file of the Gardaí were holding a vote of no-confidence in Commissioner Harris over roster disputes.[7] Harris stated that regardless the outcome of the vote, he would not be leaving the position.[8] The vote was passed with 98.7% voting in favour of the motion and 1.3% against.[9]

Personal life

[edit]

Harris is married with four children. He holds a bachelor's degree in Politics and Economics from the Open University along with a master's degree in Criminology from the University of Cambridge.[3] He is a Protestant, specifically a Presbyterian.[10] He is both a British citizen and an Irish citizen.[11]

In July 2024, a death threat was made against Harris in a video posted on TikTok by a man who said Harris would be getting "blasted before the end of the year". A 28-year-old man was later arrested.[12]

Honours

[edit]

He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2010 and was awarded the Queen's Police Medal (QPM) in the 2019 Birthday Honours.[13][14]


Ribbon Description Notes
Order of the British Empire (OBE)
  • Officer
Civil Division
2010 Birthday Honours List[15]
Queen's Police Medal (QPM)
Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal
  • 2002
  • UK Version of this Medal
Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal
  • 2012
  • UK Version of this Medal
Police Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
Royal Ulster Constabulary Service Medal

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Issue No. 60" (PDF). Iris Oifigiúil. 27 July 2018. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 August 2021. Retrieved 7 September 2018.
  2. ^ a b "Profile: Drew Harris of the PSNI". Belfast Telegraph. 20 September 2014. Archived from the original on 8 September 2018. Retrieved 7 September 2018.
  3. ^ a b c "Deputy Chief Constable | Police Service of Northern Ireland". www.psni.police.uk. Archived from the original on 26 June 2018. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  4. ^ a b c Connor, Dyane (26 June 2018). "PSNI officer named as new Garda Commissioner". RTÉ News. Archived from the original on 26 June 2018. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  5. ^ "PSNI deputy chief Drew Harris appointed as Garda Commissioner". BelfastTelegraph.co.uk. ISSN 0307-1235. Archived from the original on 26 June 2018. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  6. ^ "O'Sullivan to retire over 'unending cycle' of scrutiny". RTÉ News. 10 September 2017. Archived from the original on 12 September 2017. Retrieved 26 June 2018.
  7. ^ O'Connor, Niall (26 July 2023). "Rank and file gardaí to vote on no confidence motion in Garda Commissioner". The Journal. Retrieved 11 August 2023.
  8. ^ Staines, Michael (9 August 2023). ""Whatever the vote is, I'm not leaving" - Garda Commissioner on no confidence vote". Newstalk. Retrieved 11 August 2023.
  9. ^ Reynolds, Paul (13 September 2023). "GRA vote of no confidence in Harris passes unanimously". RTE News. Retrieved 13 September 2023.
  10. ^ O'Loughlin, Ed (20 August 2018). "Crossing the Irish Police Barrier: An Ulster Presbyterian set to be Ireland's top police official will try to reform the scandal-ridden ranks". US News and World Report. Retrieved 15 January 2023.
  11. ^ Mag Raollaigh, Joe (30 August 2018). "Minister says new Garda Commissioner is not an outsider". RTE News. Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan ... describing him as an Irishman./ The Garda Press Office has confirmed that Mr Harris does have an Irish passport.
  12. ^ "Man arrested in connection with threats to kill Sinn Féin leader, Garda Commissioner". RTÉ News. 18 July 2024. Retrieved 18 July 2024.
  13. ^ "No. 59446". The London Gazette (1st supplement). 12 June 2010. pp. 1–28.
  14. ^ "No. 62666". The London Gazette (Supplement). 8 June 2019. p. B1.
  15. ^ "No. 59446". The London Gazette (1st supplement). 12 June 2010. pp. 1–28.
  16. ^ "No. 62666". The London Gazette (Supplement). 8 June 2019. p. B1.
Police appointments
Preceded by Garda Commissioner
2018–present 		Incumbent
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