MEDAL IS REWARD FOR WORK OF MANY SAYS OMAGH POLICE CHIEF
Medal is reward for work of many, says Omagh police chief
With his inclusion on the New Year's Honours list, Superintendent James Baxter has now clocked up three major awards in his 25 years of policing.
The Queen's Medal for services to the police was awarded to Mr Baxter, RUC commander of Omagh sub-division, whose role it was to take charge of police activity in the immediate aftermath of Omagh bomb atrocity of 15, 1998.
The medal will complete a triumvirate as it joins previous awards, the RUC Long Service Medal and the Good Conduct Medal.
But although Mr Baxter saw the award as a great honour, he felt it was a recognition of the achievements of all the RUC officers and civilian staff in Omagh sub-division.
He said: "It's a great honour for me personally, and my wife and family, to receive the award, but I believe that the award is recognition of all our police officers and all our civilian support staff in Omagh Sub-Division for their dedication and commitment to provide a fair and impartial police service to the entire community.
"And I want to pay tribute to all my officers and all my civilian staff for their tremendous effort certainly over the last year and a half to support the community, and I know this support will continue in the new millennium.
"My family are very proud and very pleased and looking forward to the visit to Buckingham Place for the investiture," he said.
Mr Baxter joined the RUC in 1974, spending most of his early days in Strabane and Omagh.
When promoted to Chief Inspector in 1991, he transferred to Complaints and Discipline Department before becoming Deputy Sub-Divisional
Commander in Lisnaskea and then Londonderry.
He took over the command of Lisnaskea in 1996, and moved to his present position in Omagh the following year.
The award, coming on such a significant New Year, impelled Mr Baxter to look back on his 25 years of police work, reflecting on the best and worst of times.
He said: "I've had the difficulties and the responsibilities of, on two occasions, being responsible for the security of President Clinton - once in a visit in Londonderry, and in more trying circumstances during a visit to Omagh in the aftermath of the bomb.
"Another very pleasant experience was ensuring the security of the Royal Yacht Britannia when it visited Londonderry with Prince Charles in 1995 or 1996.I had my lea on the Royal Yacht. Those were certainly experiences that I'll never forget."
But, with his many years of work at the coalface of the Troubles, many of Mr Baxter's reflections were more melancholy.
He said: "I think very much about the loss of 302 colleagues during the Troubles and for their families, many of whom are known to me personally, and the pain and suffering that they have on a daily basis.
"I think very much of the bereaved families who suffered so much as a result of the terrible events of August 15, 1998, and all those who were very seriously injured and their families, because their way of life changed forever.
"I suppose as you reflect on the past, it would certainly be my hope and prayer that the hatred and the bigotry and the violence that we have suffered for so long can be left in the last millennium," Mr Baxter said.
"As we look forward to the new millennium, I hope we can look forward to tolerance, mutual respect and peace, where all the community can work and live together, and that we will see a brighter future for our children.
"And of course the RUC will continue to work to provide a fair and impartial police service to everyone so that we can all enjoy a new millennium," he said.
Mr Baxter said an important element of this service was the partnership between Omagh Sub-Division and the community.
He said: "I believe the way, forward is in partnership, where the police will take account the needs of the local community and try and address those needs.
"We need the support of the local community to ensure that we can all live in the kind of society that we need," Mr Baxter said.
With his inclusion on the New Year's Honours list, Superintendent James Baxter has now clocked up three major awards in his 25 years of policing.
The Queen's Medal for services to the police was awarded to Mr Baxter, RUC commander of Omagh sub-division, whose role it was to take charge of police activity in the immediate aftermath of Omagh bomb atrocity of 15, 1998.
The medal will complete a triumvirate as it joins previous awards, the RUC Long Service Medal and the Good Conduct Medal.
But although Mr Baxter saw the award as a great honour, he felt it was a recognition of the achievements of all the RUC officers and civilian staff in Omagh sub-division.
He said: "It's a great honour for me personally, and my wife and family, to receive the award, but I believe that the award is recognition of all our police officers and all our civilian support staff in Omagh Sub-Division for their dedication and commitment to provide a fair and impartial police service to the entire community.
"And I want to pay tribute to all my officers and all my civilian staff for their tremendous effort certainly over the last year and a half to support the community, and I know this support will continue in the new millennium.
"My family are very proud and very pleased and looking forward to the visit to Buckingham Place for the investiture," he said.
Mr Baxter joined the RUC in 1974, spending most of his early days in Strabane and Omagh.
When promoted to Chief Inspector in 1991, he transferred to Complaints and Discipline Department before becoming Deputy Sub-Divisional
Commander in Lisnaskea and then Londonderry.
He took over the command of Lisnaskea in 1996, and moved to his present position in Omagh the following year.
The award, coming on such a significant New Year, impelled Mr Baxter to look back on his 25 years of police work, reflecting on the best and worst of times.
He said: "I've had the difficulties and the responsibilities of, on two occasions, being responsible for the security of President Clinton - once in a visit in Londonderry, and in more trying circumstances during a visit to Omagh in the aftermath of the bomb.
"Another very pleasant experience was ensuring the security of the Royal Yacht Britannia when it visited Londonderry with Prince Charles in 1995 or 1996.I had my lea on the Royal Yacht. Those were certainly experiences that I'll never forget."
But, with his many years of work at the coalface of the Troubles, many of Mr Baxter's reflections were more melancholy.
He said: "I think very much about the loss of 302 colleagues during the Troubles and for their families, many of whom are known to me personally, and the pain and suffering that they have on a daily basis.
"I think very much of the bereaved families who suffered so much as a result of the terrible events of August 15, 1998, and all those who were very seriously injured and their families, because their way of life changed forever.
"I suppose as you reflect on the past, it would certainly be my hope and prayer that the hatred and the bigotry and the violence that we have suffered for so long can be left in the last millennium," Mr Baxter said.
"As we look forward to the new millennium, I hope we can look forward to tolerance, mutual respect and peace, where all the community can work and live together, and that we will see a brighter future for our children.
"And of course the RUC will continue to work to provide a fair and impartial police service to everyone so that we can all enjoy a new millennium," he said.
Mr Baxter said an important element of this service was the partnership between Omagh Sub-Division and the community.
He said: "I believe the way, forward is in partnership, where the police will take account the needs of the local community and try and address those needs.
"We need the support of the local community to ensure that we can all live in the kind of society that we need," Mr Baxter said.
Further Information
Publisher: TYRONE CONSTITUTION
Ref: TC/1423
Published Date: 06-Jan-00
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