ULSTER’S top police officer has delivered a highly-emotive tribute to Philippa Reynolds.
Chief constable Matt Baggott and Philippa’s district commander Stephen Cargin stood side-by-side as each made a short speech at PSNI headquarters in east Belfast on Wednesday morning.
Despite Philippa’s relatively brief time on the force, having joined just two years ago, after switching from her teaching career, Chief Constable Baggott was unsparing in his praise for the 27-year-old road smash victim.
He told reporters gathered in the foyer: “The Police Service of Northern Ireland is undoubtedly the finest police service in the world. And Philippa was undoubtedly the best of the best.
“She was kind, she was caring, she was courageous when necessary. She was compassionate. And in her short service she would have sent ripples through neighbourhoods, through families, through people’s lives just because of who she was and the values she lived out, day in, day out.
“She was part of the story of peacebuilding in Derry-Londonderry. Peace comes when people show kindness. Peace comes when people are caring. And Philippa was part of that story.
“I just want to say thank you to the Reynolds family for giving her to us.
“I was convening officer at her graduation. And I suspect they won’t have known just how much goodness she crammed into such a short service.”
She was, he concluded, a credit to friends, family and the force alike.
Taking over, Chief Superintendant Stephen Cargin, commander for G District in north-west Ulster, said: “I’d just like to pay tribute as Philippa’s commander just to a young lady who typified the officers who serve our community in Northern Ireland.
“Someone who was a loving daughter, a sister - who was described to me as her soulmate. She was a best friend. She was enthusiastic. She was bubbly, loving and caring, not only in her own family but in her work life.
“I, as a commander in Derry-stroke-Londonderry , can just say I’ve been overwhelmed by the support.
“Something has really happened. Her parents said to me on Sunday: we hope something good comes out of this. Something good has come out of it.
“Communities have come together. Communities are uniting behind us as a police service.”
It comes a day after Kevin Campbell, the Sinn Fein Mayor of Derry City Council who trumpets his past as a former “political prisoner”, signed a book of condolence for the young police officer and paid a personal visit to her family to offer condolences.
Asked how Philippa’s colleagues were bearing up, he said: “They’re finding it difficult. They’re hurting. But they’re professional police officers... The officers are out there, getting on with it.”
Chief constable Baggot then said that two words came to mind when he thought of Philippa: ‘inspirational’ and ‘impartial’, adding: “Philippa served everybody, irrespective of who they were, their history and their background.”