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.