Together we can make a difference

At the end of a very difficult week, on Friday afternoon I attended a joint Presidents and Duke of Edinburgh Award information event at St Mary’s High School in Limavady. Pupils from St Patrick's, Rossmar, Limavady High and Limavady Grammar were also present.

I was met by the principal, in the shadow of a rather large sign showing an image of five pupils, one from each of the five schools, running along the beach at Downhill with the cliffs and the Mussenden Temple in the background. As I looked at the sign, I thought of the week that had passed and the coming together of so many people, from different backgrounds and viewpoints, to speak with one voice of condemnation and support.

But this unity of schools in Limavady was not new, nor even recent. This was a relationship forged over time, of pupils coming together to learn with, respect and understand one another. This relationship was not born out of some government strategy, but by a genuine desire to see the future generations of Limavady grow up together in a society free from sectarianism. A shining example to us all.

Some young people present were already involved in one of the schemes whilst others were thinking about joining. As I spoke to them about my experiences of taking part in the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme, I couldn’t help but remind them of the important choices which they are required to make.

I reminded them of the choice that our colleague, Constable Ronan Kerr, had made to join the Police Service of Northern Ireland and how he had wanted to be someone who helped people and who made a difference. He had taken the decision to serve his community and the people of Northern Ireland, through the very honourable and selfless profession of Policing.

The support which the Police Service has received over the past week has been powerful. The public outpouring of sympathy and condemnation and the show of solidarity at the various rallies has, I have no doubt, greatly helped the Kerr family who must be feeling such a devastating sense of loss.

Ronan’s death can and must be a turning point. Everyone must continue to speak out against those who carry out these attacks, and stress as so many have already clearly stated, that they are ‘Not in my Name’.

Terrorists have no respect for any member of our community, a point they clearly made again at the weekend, by abandoning a bomb under the main Belfast to Dublin road in Newry.

As your police service we will continue to do everything we can, not just to bring those responsible for Ronan’s death to justice, but also to prevent and detect those who indiscriminately place others at risk.

We are all the more determined to deliver a personal, professional and protective police service to everyone.

Just like those five schools in Limavady, together we can make a difference.