SIMON Byrne's short tenure as PSNI Chief Constable has been punctuated with controversies.
He took up the post in July 2019, having held senior positions in Merseyside, the Metropolitan Police, Greater Manchester and been chief constable of Cheshire.
In September 2019 he was criticised after suggesting that children of paramilitaries could be taken into care.
He made the remarks at a conference on the use of stop and search powers, telling paramilitaries: "You carry on doing this and we will have your house, if you keep going we will have your car, we will have your kids, we will have your benefits and we will put you in jail."
Mr Byrne later clarified his comments and said he was happy to withdraw "the interpretation that children are pawns, if that's what's been heard", adding that it was not his intention.
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In December 2019, a social media post of him standing alongside heavily armed officers in Crossmaglen on Christmas Day caused anger in south Armagh.
He later apologised for the tweeted image, which nationalists said belonged in the past.
In June last year the chief constable backtracked on a proposed branding refresh, which would have removed the words Police Service Northern Ireland from the badge used on signs, vehicles and uniforms.
And in the same month came the first of a series of controversies during the Covid pandemic which have come to define Mr Byrne's tenure so far.
A decision to issue up to 70 fines at Black Lives Matter protests in Belfast and Derry led to accusations of inconsistency in the PSNI's approach to enforcement of regulations in relation to gatherings.
Mr Byrne later apologised after the Police Ombudsman found justification in claims the handling of protests was unfair and discriminatory.
He said: "The time is right to show some humility and say sorry."
The PSNI has also come under repeated pressure over its policing of republican and loyalist funerals which have seen breaches of Covid regulations.
There was intense scrutiny over the operation at the funeral of veteran republican Bobby Storey which saw large crowds gather in west Belfast last June.
Deputy First Minister Michelle O'Neill was among Sinn Féin politicians who attended.
Mr Byrne said his officers did not intervene as "widespread violence and disorder" would have followed any attempt to disperse the crowds.
A police investigation was launched afterwards with a file submitted to public prosecutors, although unionists were critical of the pace of progress.
