OUTGOING PSNI Chief Constable George Hamilton has been awarded a knighthood in Queen Elizabeth's birthday honours.
Mr Hamilton, who has come under pressure to apologise to Loughinisland journalists Trevor Birney and Barry McCaffrey after the joint PSNI/Durham Constabulary operation was ruled `unlawful', is retiring later this month after 34 years as a police officer.
He is among six PSNI officers to receive honours, with Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton awarded an OBE, Chief Superintendent Emma Bond awarded an MBE and three Queen’s Police Medals going to former Deputy Chief Constable Drew Harris, Chief Superintendent Jonathan Roberts and retired Detective Constable Ronnie Galwey.
The chief constable, who has seen confidence in policing pass 90 per cent and recorded crime performance at its all time best, said he was "delighted to be receiving this award".
"It has been an honour and the highlight of my career to have served as chief constable of the PSNI," he added.
"Any success I have achieved has only been possible because of the sacrifice and support of my family and the women and men of the Police Service of Northern Ireland."
Outgoing Police Ombudsman Michael Maguire, whose report of collusion features prominently in Mr Birney and Mr McCaffrey's documentary has been awarded a CBE "for services to justice".
Kieran Donnelly, Comptroller and Auditor General, receives the Order of the Bath.
Meanwhile popular Co Fermanagh priest Fr Brian D'Arcy is among those to receive a gong. He has been awarded an OBE for "services to cross community relations".
Richard Williams, the CEO Of Northern Ireland Screen, who was instrumental in bringing Game Of Thrones to Northern Ireland, is also to be awarded an OBE.
"I am delighted to accept this award which I see as a celebration of the tremendous value to Northern Ireland from the growth of the screen industries here and also recognition of the part that all my colleagues at Northern Ireland Screen have played in that success story," he said.
Elsewhere singer, songwriter and producer Elvis Costello has been recognised for a career spanning five decades with an OBE for services to music, and rapper MIA, whose politically charged music has explored the nuances of life as a refugee, has been made an MBE.
Wayne Gruba, campaigner for IRA victims of Libyan explosives, receives a British Empire Medal for services to victims of terrorism.
His organisation has been pressing for compensation to be paid from assets belonging to Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's former regime which are frozen in Britain.
The UK's top spy chiefs have both receive knighthoods in Queen Elizabeth's Birthday Honours, while the man who oversees the security services is given a higher award.
Head of MI5 Andrew Parker is recognised for public service following a 35-year career with the agency during which he led the response to the July 7 2005 London bombings.
Alex Younger, the head of MI6, also receives a knighthood for services to national security.
He has been Chief of the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS) - a position known as "M" - since November 2014 after a career of more than 20 years as an MI6 officer.
Sir Michael Burton, head of the Investigatory Powers Tribunal - the body which keeps an eye on the spies - receives an upgrade on his honour, becoming a GBE.
Presenter Dan Snow, known for programmes such as Battlefield Britain, Norman Walks and Filthy Cities has been made an MBE for services to history.
Northern Ireland award recipients:
Knighthoods
George Hamilton; PSNI Chief Constable
Order of the Bath
Kieran Donnelly; Comptroller and Auditor General.
CBE
Dr Michael Maguire; Police Ombudsman
Francis Martin; President British Chambers of Commerce and Partner, BDO Northern Ireland
OBE
Fr Brian D'Arcy; Passionist priest
Jill Downing; Solicitor
Mark Hamilton; PSNI assistant chief constable
Richard Ian Williams; chief executive, Northern Ireland Screen
MBE
Mrs Viviane Hooper Adamson; voluntary service to the Credit Union Movement
Emma Pauline Bond; PSNI chief superintendent
Sheila Chambers; founder of Around Noon
John Chapman; services to children with learning difficulties
Anthony Joseph Convery; founder and chairman, CDE Group
Ian William Crowe; services to the community and Air Ambulance
Mark Philip Horton; CEO Ballinderry Rivers Trust and All-Ireland Director, The Rivers Trust
Elizabeth Jane Bewick Jackson; partner, Herbert Smith Freehills
Dr Adrian Brendan Johnston; services to peacebuilding and the community
Marshall Kilgore; principal, Drumachose Primary School
Walter Lambe; head, Rathmore Educational Guidance Centre
Lorna McAlpine; services to integrated education
Catherine Frances McIlroy; Allied Health Professional Manager, Acute Services, Southern Health and Social Care Trust
Abbie Elizabeth McKenna; workforce development manager, Ulster University
William Thomas (Liam) Perry; principal St Columbanus College, Bangor
William Henry Sholdis; services to the scout movement and to young people in north and west Belfast
Jacqueline Elizabeth Stewart; (fmr) principal, Downshire High School
Ruth Wallace; Belfast Trust Fostering Service
Colin James Walsh; CEO Crescent Capital
BEM
Mervyn Best; services to the community
Alison Elizabeth Blayney; services to the community
Kimberley Ann Briggs; East Belfast Community Development Agency
Raymond Stephen Carroll; car pool manager, Northern Ireland Office
William Robert Caskey; NIFRS
Richard David Collins; services to the community Cookstown, Co Tyrone
Valerie Violet Crichton, services to road racing
Robert Patrick Doherty; services to young people through golf in Portrush
Brigid Dougherty; Probation Board for Northern Ireland
John Glover; services to athletics
Heather Jane Gracey; services to the community in Lisburn
Kate Mary-Rose Grant; services to the community in Cookstown, Co Tyrone
Barry Gribben; Edenderry Primary School
Helen Holland; voluntary service to the community in north Belfast.
Robert William Irwin Holmes; Benefit Security Division
Isabel Graham Hood; environmental campaigner
Stephen Hoskins; services to young people in the scouting movement
Richard Jay; services to young people and music
Annie Johnston; services to Irish craftwork
James Thomas Laverty; services to swimming and disability sport
Irene Nora Elizabeth MacWilliam; services to textile art
Colin Philip Magill; services to local government and Co Down community
John Campbell Martin; services to the farming community
Andrew McClarty; services to charity
Robert Alastair McFarland; head of technology, Limavady High School
Breda McGrenaghan; services to cancer patients in Co Fermanagh
Philip McGrenaghan; services to cancer patients in Co Fermanagh
George Clarke McLaughlin; Northern Ireland Fire Brigade
Francis Joseph McNally; deputy principal, Department for Infrastructure
Alexandra McNaul; nursery assistant, Kylemore Nursery School
Robert McQuillan; services to music in Ballymena
James Alfred Edward Mercer; services to young people and football in Co Armagh
Roberta Richmond; services to mental health in east Belfast
Wilfred Andrew Hiram Robinson; services to the community in Co Tyrone
Thomas James Servis; voluntary and charitable services
William James King Shaw; voluntary and charitable service in Belfast
David Wilson Shields; services to music and amateur dramatics
Austin John William Stronge; services to the welfare of former RUC officers and their families
Cecelia Taggart; voluntary services to scouts and the community in Downpatrick, Co Down
Lee Tavinder; services to mental health
Dr Geoffrey Michael Thompson; services to the rural youth
Queen's Police Medal (QPM)
Jonathan Stewart Roberts; chief superintendent PSNI
Ronald (Ronnie) Charles Edwin Galwey; lately detective constable PSNI
Jeremy Andrew Harris; lately deputy chief constable PSNI
Queen's Ambulance Medal (QAM)
Jacqueline Mary O'Hara; paramedic station supervisor Northern Ireland Ambulance Service
