Career officer and Canadian police chief appointed to top Garda roles

Deputy Commissioner Anne Marie McMahon and Shawna Coxon, deputy commissioner in the Toronto Police, have been appointed to the second and third most powerful positions in An Garda Síochána

Anne Marie McMahon will next month take over the role of Deputy Commissioner Policing and Security, historically seen as the second highest role in the organisation. Picture: Larry Cummins

A career garda and a Canadian officer – both female – have been appointed to the second and third most powerful positions in An Garda Síochána.

Deputy Commissioner Anne Marie McMahon, a native of Co Clare, has been in the force for more than 34 years and has worked her way up through various district and regional postings, head of specialist sections and a stint on a UN mission to Cambodia.

Shawna Coxon is currently deputy commissioner in the Toronto Police, where she has served for 24 years in areas such as community engagement, roads policing, organisational transformation, cyber-crime, sexual crime, child abuse, and intelligence analysis.

Ms McMahon is appointed from today and will next month take over the role of Deputy Commissioner Policing and Security, historically seen as the second highest role in the organisation.

Ms Coxon will assume duty in April and takes over the expanded position of Deputy Commissioner Governance, Strategy and Performance.

Commissioner Drew Harris welcomed the new appointments, which were recommended by the Policing Authority and announced on Tuesday by the Cabinet.

He also praised the work of the outgoing Deputy Comm John Twomey and his 38 years’ service.