Our Colleague – Constable Philippa Reynolds

It was devastating over the weekend to have to visit the family of Constable Philippa Reynolds in such tragic circumstances.  This was a young police officer who was out on duty delivering a policing service and working to keep the public safe.  She died doing what she loved. 

It is very sad that the Police Service has lost another fine member and that her family have been cheated of a daughter and sister who had so much more to give.   I met her boyfriend too, who has been robbed of future happiness with Philippa.  Reading some of the comments left by family and friends, on social media, just showed how much she was liked and loved by so many.

I met with some of Philippa's colleagues in Strand Road on Saturday night and, whilst I didn't know her personally, she just seemed such a lovely, bubbly young woman who was so excited to have been able to work in the Police Service of Northern Ireland and clearly had so much more to give to policing.  The photograph her family released to the media, I felt, just showed her bright and fun loving personality.  In a relatively short space of time within Police Service she had clearly made a huge and lasting impact on her colleagues and in her community. 

I want to echo the words of our Chief Constable, who said, "This is a personal tragedy for her family and also for the whole Police Service. She was out on duty, working to keep people safe, when she died. My thoughts and prayers are with her family at this time. I and my colleagues will ensure that no stone remains unturned as we work to bring to justice those who perpetrated this crime." 

The investigation team have worked tirelessly over the weekend to ensure that every investigative opportunity is explored.  Two men are due to  appear in court this morning charged with a range of offences and for obvious reasons I am unable to go into any further details at this time.

We will support Philippa's family at this very difficult time.  Sadly this is something that the Police Service is well practised at and does very well, and that support will continue not just in the next few days but in the weeks, months and years that lie ahead.

Today police officers and staff are out across Northern Ireland delivering a personal, professional and protective policing service.  This is the very best way that we can honour the service of our colleague, continuing to do the very thing for which she lived and, tragically, died.