The longest serving Chief Probation Officer in the British islands will bring the curtain down on a 37-year career when he takes planned early retirement at the end of this month. David Sellick has played a leading role in the modernisation of the criminal justice system in the Isle of Man during more than two decades at the helm of the Probation Service. He will officially retire on March 31, drawing to a conclusion a distinguished and varied professional life, working in areas such as community service, family court welfare and youth offending projects before progressing into management. Home Affairs Minister Adrian Earnshaw MHK, whose Department has responsibility for the Probation Service, said: ‘I want to take this opportunity to thank David for his hard work and commitment over many years and wish him well for the future. He has been the driving force behind many improvements in the Isle of Man Probation Service and his experience and enthusiasm will be missed.’ Mr Sellick embarked on his chosen career path in the 1970s and was initially seconded to the Inner London Probation Service on a training programme sponsored by the UK Home Office. He also served in Lincolnshire, Leicestershire, Shropshire and Jersey before joining the Isle of Man service as a probation officer in 1986. He secured the post of Senior Probation Officer on the retirement of Sandra Richardson in 1987, and has led the Isle of Man service since that date. He was instrumental in establishing the post of Chief Probation Officer and was appointed to that influential role in 1991. Mr Sellick, who has worked under eight different Home Affairs Ministers, said: ‘I believe I am the longest serving Probation Officer in the British islands and certainly the longest serving Chief Probation Officer by some considerable margin.’ There have been numerous milestones and highlights over the past 20 years, including the introduction of national standards, important new legislation and best practice from other jurisdictions. Mr Sellick also takes great professional pride in his instigation of regular external inspections of the Isle of Man Probation Service, even though some have led to criticism. ‘You seldom learn unless you are put under scrutiny and although some inspections have been painful, each one has been a learning experience,’ he said. Other achievements include building up the Probation Service and expanding into areas such as Victim Support, the Probation Hostel and inter-agency collaboration in which probation officers work in the Prison, Drug and Alcohol Team and the Youth Justice Team. He commented: ‘The Probation Service has always punched above its numerical weight in terms of influencing criminal justice agendas and has recently been working more closely with its European counterparts which has proven hugely beneficial.’ Mr Sellick has worked alongside the Chief Constable and Prison Governor as one of the key advisors to the Department of Home Affairs on criminal justice issues. In Mary Williams and Will Greenhow he has also enjoyed working with two Chief Executive Officers at the Department who have gone on to become Chief Secretary. Still energised by working in the criminal justice arena, Mr Sellick is fully supportive of the plans to merge the Island’s Probation and Prison Services to create a new joint agency to deal with offender management. In terms of a legacy, he said: ‘There is no one thing, but the recent qualification as probation officers of “home-grown talent” in Dawn Cubbon and Tim Dunne, whilst on a Department-sponsored training programme, is particularly pleasing. These officers represent the future of the service in the Isle of Man and – along with a third staff member, Lynda Watts who is part way through her qualification – I feel I am leaving the service in very capable hands.’ He added: ‘Heading the delivery of the Island’s first international criminal justice conference proved extremely interesting and rewarding, as did presiding over a period that witnessed more progressive sentencing initiatives such as the drug arrest referral scheme, enhanced community service, and a bespoke set of programmes designed for the Isle of Man Probation Service.’ Reflecting on a long, varied and at times challenging career, Mr Sellick concluded: ‘I have enjoyed working with a fantastic administrative support team and some very skilled and loyal staff over the years. I will miss the companionship and incredible dedication that my administration team has consistently provided. I owe a huge debt to my exceptionally capable deputy Pat Ingram who will take up the leadership of the service from April 1 under the overarching management structure of the new joint agency.’ Ends