SIMON Byrne's short time as PSNI Chief Constable has not been without controversy.
A picture of him standing alongside heavily armed officers in Crossmaglen on Christmas Day outraged some politicians, who claimed the image was one that belonged in the past.
Unfazed by the criticism, the mild mannered English man said he is forever an optimist.
" If you make a mistake I think you should apologise and move on."
On the Crossmaglen controversy he said: "If you think of cause and effect, there was some emotional turbulence after that famous tweet and that photograph. Certain people will no doubt be pushing that photograph for years to come as a demonstration of my clumsiness or other people would say 'he was describing policing as it was'.
"But on the back of that I did meet cross party political leaders and we commissioned a review of policing in South Armagh, which is going on at the moment.
"In one sense I would like not to have caused the big furore with that tweet, but actually on the back of it, it gave me an insight I might not have realised possibly until it was too late."
A former chief constable of Cheshire Police, Mr Byrne also previously served as a senior officer with Merseyside, Greater Manchester and the Metropolitan Police forces.
"I said on day one that this is a unique service with unique challenges, and therefore it is probably a unique job with unique challenges ... I came into it with my eyes open". he said.
"I say this is the best job I've ever had, I feel privileged to be able to do it.
The chief constable turns 57 this week and while his predecessor George Hamilton retired at 52, he said he intends to finish his five year term with the PSNI saying "attitudes to age are changing".
"Policing has always worked on a sort of 30-year cut off point.
"Personally I think it may have been there for historical reasons when people didn't live as long ... but I think if you've got something to offer and a contribution to make why not keep going and wisdom will tell you when it's time."
In no hurry to retire Mr Byrne added: "I've never picked up a golf club in my life, now a future driving a steam train that would be one of my passions".
