THE Government has promoted Chief Supt Tony Hickey, one of the Garda's most experienced serious crime detectives, to the rank of assistant commissioner.
Chief Supt Hickey is in charge of the Central Detective Unit. He has spent much of his career detecting serious crime, ranging from the Malcolm MacArthur murder case to the killing of journalist Veronica Guerin.
He is married with three children aged from 12 to 19. Originally from Co Kerry, he joined the force in 1965.
Yesterday the Minister for Justice, Mrs Owen, also announced the promotion of Supert Jim Murphy, from Fitzgibbon Street station, and Supt Michael Carty, from Cabra station, both in Dublin, to the rank of chief superintendent.
The promotions should fill vacancies at assistant commissioner level in the regional command post in Sligo and at chief superintendent rank in Central Detective Unit and in Ennis, Co Clare.
The appointments have been made as final arrangements for new Garda structures come into effect. Three new bureaux have been created specifically to fight the threat of organised crime.
The Central Detective Unit which formerly came under the control of the Dublin Metropolitan Area, is shortly to become a national bureau, as yet without a new title, with its headquarters at the Garda Depot in Phoenix Park. The new detective unit is taking over the Headquarters Investigation Unit, formerly known as the Murder Squad, at Garda Headquarters and the Anti-Racketeering Unit, as part of its expanded role.
After the murder of the Veronica Guerin, the Government set up the Criminal Assets Bureau, headed by Chief Supt Fachtna Murphy, which has a national brief to target and seize the proceeds of crime.
Last year the Garda also set up the National Drugs Bureau, under Chief Supt Kevin Carty. Regional commanders in Sligo, Kilkenny, Galway and Cork were also introduced.
