NORTHERN IRELAND owes Sir John Hermon a great debt of gratitude for undertaking one of the most difficult policing jobs during the Troubles, mourners at his funeral in Groomsport, Co Down heard yesterday.
Hundreds of people attended the funeral service in the local Presbyterian church for 79-year-old Sir John Hermon, who was RUC chief constable from 1980 until 1989, a period when 129 of his officers were killed.
Presbyterian minister Rev Dr Roger Purse said being chief constable of the RUC was one of the most "controversial policing roles anywhere" and when Sir John stepped down in 1989 "the RUC was one of the most highly regarded and effective police forces in the world". The chief mourners at the funeral were his widow, the North Down Ulster Unionist MP Lady Sylvia Hermon, their children, Robert and Thomas and his children from his first marriage to the late Lady Jean Hermon, Barbara and Rodney.
Dr Purse said many tributes were paid to Sir John, who died as a result of Alzheimer's disease, that commented on his "tough and uncompromising" style of leadership. "He undertook the most difficult policing job in western Europe, if not the democratic world, with the task of maintaining law and order in the face of unrelenting violence.
"He was committed to the impartial policing of both communities," he added. "His time in office covered the IRA hunger strike, which resulted in an angry Catholic community. And in 1985 the police had to face the fury of some in the Protestant community with the signing of the Anglo-Irish Agreement. He continued to police this community fairly." He said Sir John had "skill and courage and independence, but he also had a compassionate heart".
Among those in attendance were PSNI chief constable Sir Hugh Orde; former RUC chief constable Sir Ronnie Flanagan; Northern Secretary Shaun Woodward; DUP junior minister Jeffrey Donaldson, who represented the Office of First Minister; Former first minister the Rev Ian Paisley; former Ulster Unionist first minister Lord David Trimble; SDLP leader Mark Durkan and Executive ministers Sammy Wilson and Michael McGimpsey. President Mary McAleese was represented by her aide-de-camp, Capt Niamh O'Mahony.