THE man who battles for the rights of police officers in Lancashire is stepping down after three decades with the force.

Dublin-born inspector John O’Reilly, who has been chairman of Lancashire Police Federation for the past three years, will called time on his colourful career today.

Vice-chairman Rachel Baines will then step up to take charge of the organisation which represents 3,300 rank and file officers in the county.

Mr O’Reilly said: “I’ve done my bit – now it’s time for someone else to take the wheel.

"It is a testing time for the federation right now with all the issues facing the police service. I truly believe that the cuts to policing numbers will place extra stress and increased challenges on those officers remaining.”

The 54-year-old, who came to England with his family aged 11, joined up in December 1981 at the age of 24 and served in Rawtenstall and then Haslingden before being promoted to sergeant in Colne in 1990.

In the mid-nineties he spent two years at Hutton headquarters in research and development training, then went to Accrington and later became an acting inspector in Blackburn.

He became known as the “Sheriff of Great Harwood” during more than four years as the town’s top police officer, leading the fight to close down the notorious Monroe's nightclub where drugs and weapons were discovered.

In 1999 he became a local federation representative and by 2003 he had become county vice-chairman, a role he held for more than six years. He was elected to the full-time role of chairman in January 2009.

The father-of-seven, said: “I have absolutely no regrets about my 30 years in the police. I have loved every bit of it.

“There have been some grim moments, but also some wonderful times where I have felt I have made a contribution.

“I’ve seen some changes to the way the police work. I suppose I joined during the Life On Mars days and I am leaving in a totally different era for policing.

“To me it is too much of a service than a force today. We are not social workers and people shouldn’t expect the police to be that.

“I’ve seen many changes in legislation and I think some of it has been brought in without proper thought about how it is going to be enforced. There is too much emphasis on rehabilitation and not enough on sanction. And to my mind the police service should be less risk-averse.

“But regardless of all that I’ve had a tremendous career and I wouldn’t have swapped it for anything.”