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The Police Service of Northern Ireland ('''PSNI''') is the Police service that covers Northern Ireland . It is the successor to the Royal Ulster Constabulary and was created on Sunday, November 4 2001 , as a result of a Policing Review set up under the Belfast Agreement . This agreement required the creation of an Independent Commission On Policing For Northern Ireland , which became known as the ''Patten Commission'' after its chairman, Chris Patten . The political party Sinn Féin , which represents about a quarter of Northern Ireland voters, has so far refused to endorse the PSNI until Patten's recommendations are "implemented in full". However, the other major Nationalist party in the region, the SDLP , has joined the Policing Board and says that it is satisfied that the Patten recommendations are being implemented. In the summer of 2005, the SDLP's Alex Attwood estimated that 80% of Patten's recommendations have been implemented. The PSNI has a . The Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland deals with any complaints regarding the PSNI and investigates any allegations of serious misconduct by police officers. The current Police Ombudsman is Nuala O'Loan. In May 2005 the PSNI took delivery of its first helicopter, a Eurocopter EC 135 . The PSNI (and the RUC) relied heavily on British Army helicopter support during the Troubles and into the 21st century. The helicopter will be used for pursuit, search for missing persons and for managing parades/demonstrations etc. In September 2005 the PSNI established the Historical Enquiries Team to investigate the 3,269 unsolved murders committed during the Troubles . Chief Constables The senior officer in charge of the PSNI is its Chief Constable . To date this position has been held by three people:
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