SEVEN OFFICERS NAMED IN NEW YEAR HONOURS LIST 31/12/2002

Seven officers with the Police Service of Northern Ireland have been honoured by Her Majesty the Queen in the New Year Honours List.

They include the officer who identified the car bomb at Ballycastle’s Auld Lammas Fair in 2001; the long-serving head of the Underwater Search Team, which was much praised for its work earlier this year in the search for the missing Kilkeel fishing vessel the ‘Tullaghmurray Lass’ and two detectives attached to the North Region Crime Squad, including its head. Four officers are awarded the MBE – Acting Detective Chief Superintendent Mervyn Hood, Chief Inspector John Barr, Sergeant Elvin Leech and Detective Constable Paul Bennett. Three are honoured with the Queen’s Police Medal. They are Inspector Noel Lusty, Detective Sergeant Trevor Currie and Detective Sergeant John McIlveen.

MBE'S

Acting Detective Chief Superintendent Mervyn Hood currently heads up the Regional Crime Squad in the PSNI’s North Region, based in Londonderry. With almost 33 years service he is described in the Chief Constable’s citation as ‘a police commander of outstanding quality.’ As a Superintendent, he was a commander in Strabane, Ballymoney and North Belfast. In all of these areas he was faced with issues of contentious parades and his balanced yet direct approach often ensured peaceful outcomes in potentially volatile situations. Before moving to the Regional Crime Squad, he was commander in Limavady District Command Unit. He was involved in investigations into some of the most serious terrorist crimes in the North West. The terrorist campaign impacted personally when his father, James, a captain in the Ulster Defence Regiment was murdered by terrorists thirty years ago.

Chief Inspector John Barr was badly injured in disorder at Drumcree in the summer of 1998 and it was feared that he would never regain the full use of his legs. However, through sheer determination, perseverance and hard work he achieved significant improvements and is currently deputy commander in Enniskillen District Command Unit. Chief Inspector Barr has been a police officer for more than 25 years and has served in Belfast, Omagh and Armagh. He is also currently a representative on the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme’s advisory committee.

Sergeant Elvin Leech has been in change for the Underwater Search Unit for the past 12 years. He has been a police officer for almost 27 years and has held the rank of sergeant for 22 years. The Underwater Search Unit is responsible for the recovery of bodies from the water as a result of crime, accident or suicide. Its members are also responsible for the recovery of evidence from waterways. The Unit works in highly dangerous environments. Sgt. Leech, in his role as the Unit’s head, liaises closely with families and next of kin. This came very much to public notice in the much publicised search, earlier this year, for the missing Kilkeel fishing vessel, the Tullaghmurray Lass.

Detective Constable Paul Bennett, along with a colleague, set up the first locally based CID post at Castlederg in 1990. He has been a detective for more than 18 of his 22 year’s service and is currently attached to the North Region Crime Squad. He served at Waterside in Londonderry in the mid 80s at a time where there were a number of serious terrorist crimes. The Chief Constable’s citation stated that ‘his efforts gained the support of the law abiding community from both sides of the religious divide and greatly enhanced the effectiveness of the Police Service.’

QPM'S

Inspector Noel Lusty was on duty at the Auld Lammas Fair, in Ballycastle, in August 2001 when he responded immediately to a suspect vehicle in Castle Street. He identified an explosive device inside and evacuated the area. If it had exploded, it would have created a fireball effect and would almost certainly have led to significant loss of life. Inspector Lusty has been a police officer for 30 years and is currently Criminal Justice Manager in Larne District Command Unit. Here he has been involved with all sections of the community in developing partnerships and good relations and in using a problem-solving approach to difficult local issues.


Detective Sergeant Trevor Currie is attached to CID in Craigavon District Command Unit. He joined the police in 1976 and was stationed at Mountpottinger, in East Belfast. While on beat patrol, in 1980, he was seriously injured in a terrorist shooting which resulted in the loss of an eye. On return to duty he gained promotion to sergeant and worked in Belfast and Banbridge before being appointed to CID in 1996.


Detective Sergeant John McIlveen has served the community as a police officer for 26 years. He has been attached to Crime Department in Belfast for more than 23 years and has been involved in a number of major crime investigations.