THE name of the next RUC chief constable is expected to be announced this morning following yesterday's rigorous interviews of the three short listed candidates by a selection committee of the North's Police Authority.
If the committee's choice is endorsed by the Northern Secretary, Sir Patrick Mayhew, as expected, a full meeting of the Police Authority this morning will be told who is to succeed Sir Hugh Annesley.
Yesterday's interviews by the nine member policy co ordinating committee of the authority were crucial in the selection procedure, as no clear favourite had emerged in advance.
The contenders were the two serving deputy chief constables, Mr Blair Wallace and Mr Ronnie Flanagan, and the Commissioner of Police for the City of London, Mr William Taylor.
Mr Wallace, with 41 years' service, was the senior of the two local candidates. Aged 58, he is in charge of support services and was formerly head of the Special Branch and appointed to assistant chief constable level in 1984.
Mr Flanagan (47) is in charge of RUC Operations and has 26 years service. He is also a former head of the Special Branch and has recently been conducting a fundamental review of the RUC.
Mr Taylor has 31 years service and is a former head of the Metropolitan Police Specialist Operations section. He was chairman of the chief police officers' advisory group on republican terrorism.
Each of the three candidates was interviewed twice yesterday by the Police Authority committee.