Bobby Singleton confirmed as the PSNI's new Deputy Chief Constable
The Northern Ireland Policing Board has confirmed that Bobby Singleton has been appointed as the new Deputy Chief Constable for the PSNI.
The recommendation of the appointment panel was unanimously ratified by the Policing Board and was approved by the Justice Minister.
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.”
Over the course of the last 23 years, Mr Singleton has gained an extensive 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 March 2022 and December 2024 he was the Assistant Chief Constable for Local Policing, leading over 3,500 officers and staff.
He holds a degree in modern history as well as a post graduate diploma and masters in Police Leadership and Management. He is also the chair of the Police Athletic Association, a member of the Newforge Community Development trust, patron of Special Olympics Ireland and president of the Special Olympics Law Enforcement Torch Run.
Welcoming the appointment, Chief Constable Jon Boutcher said: “I very much want to congratulate Bobby on his appointment as the next Deputy Chief Constable of the Police Service of Northern Ireland. I am personally really delighted to welcome him to his new role.
"This is great news for the PSNI. Bobby is dedicated to policing in Northern Ireland and he brings a wealth of knowledge, skill, leadership and experience to the job. He is already a key member of our leadership team having joined the PSNI in the first intake of recruits after its formation.
"Like myself, I know that Bobby truly understands the importance and responsibility that comes with this role and what a privilege it is to be a part of this organisation. This is a super appointment.”
The Chief Constable went on to pay tribute to former Deputy Chief Constable Mark Hamilton who retires from policing later this year.
He said: “Mark has spent 30 years of his life working to make the people of Northern Ireland safe. I wish him well for his retirement.
"Additionally, I want to especially thank Chris Todd for undertaking the role as my Temporary Deputy Chief Constable for the past 12 months. Chris’s support has been invaluable to me and the entire team, and his leadership through a number of key challenges, especially the data breach, in the past year has been exceptional.
"It is great news for the PSNI and for Northern Ireland that Chris will remain a key member of the PSNI’s senior team working with Bobby and I, and the rest of the team. We are fortunate to have such outstanding people throughout the organisation.”