Police Ombudsman

Emily Logan - Police Ombudsman

Emily Logan was appointed Police Ombudsman on 2 April 2025 by President Michael D. Higgins, following an open competition and resolutions of both Houses of the Oireachtas (Irish Parliament). The Police Ombudsman is independent in her statutory functions for which she accounts directly to the Oireachtas.

She is Adjunct Professor in UCC School of Law and UCD Sutherland School of Law. Emily also currently serves on the Board of the Independent Police Complaints Authorities Network (Europe) and Independent Panel of the FIFA Foundation Safe Football Support Unit (Global).

Prior to her appointment as Police Ombudsman, Emily Logan served as Commissioner of the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission for four years, Chief Commissioner of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission for five years and Ireland’s first Ombudsman for Children for eleven years.

She worked in leadership roles in Ireland, the UK and Council of Europe: as Chair of the European Network of National Human Rights Institutions, on the Executive of the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions and as Chair of the European Network of Ombudsman for Children.

Emily holds a Masters in Human Rights Law from Queens University Belfast, an MBA from University College Dublin and an MSc in Psychology from City, University of London.

She was awarded Degrees of Doctor of Laws (LLD) (Honorary) from University College Dublin and an Honorary Fellowship from the Royal College of Physicians Ireland.

Brian Doherty - Deputy Police Ombudsman

Mr Doherty was appointed as Deputy Police Ombudsman from 15 September 2025 by President Michael D. Higgins following an open competition and resolutions of both Houses of the Oireachtas (Irish Parliament).

Brian Doherty previously worked as the Chief Executive Officer of the Legal Services Regulatory Authority (LSRA). He took up post as the CEO of the LSRA in September 2017.

A former barrister, Brian was called to the Bar in Northern Ireland in 1996 and initially practised in Belfast.

He joined the Office of the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland (PONI) when it was set up in 2000 as one of the first civilian investigators, working on allegations of misconduct against the then Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC), later the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI).

In 2007, he moved to the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) as a Senior Investigating Officer, later progressing to Acting Deputy Director of Investigations.

He returned to PONI in 2014 to run the Current Investigations Directorate.

Brian holds a Masters in Criminology and Criminal Justice Management from Queens University Belfast and a Doctorate in Criminology from the University of Portsmouth.