Ronnie Flanagan

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Sir Ronald Flanagan, GBE, QPM, (born 25 March 1949 in Belfast) is Chief Inspector of Constabulary who was previously the Chief Constable of the PSNI since its creation in 2001 to 2002, and had been Chief Constable of its predecessor, the Royal Ulster Constabulary 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.

On 22 January 2007 a report by the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland Nuala O'Loan exposed evidence of collusion between paramilitaries and officers under the command of Ronnie 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.

"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." - Sir Hugh Orde.

Ronnie 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 report Nationalist politicians said he should be forced to resign or fired from his job as Chief Inspector of Constabulary.

Nuala O'Loan had previously criticised the RUC inquiry into the Omagh Bombing of 1998, to which Ronnie Flanagan's response was that he would "publicly commit suicide" if he believed her report was correct.

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Police appointments
Preceded by Hugh Annesley	Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary 1996 — 2001	Succeeded by Last incumbent
Preceded by First incumbent	Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland 2001 — 2002	Succeeded by Colin Cramphorn (acting)