Simon Byrne, the new chief constable of the PSNI, is a vastly experienced senior officer who has the enormous advantage of coming into his new post with the unanimous endorsement of the Policing Board.
However, he will be well aware that he has key issues to address on a number of fronts as soon as a date is agreed for his arrival at the Knock headquarters of the service to succeed George Hamilton.
The PSNI faces dilemmas of major proportions over legacy questions, and Mr Byrne will need to publicly offer his thoughts on the way forward at the earliest possible opportunity.
Everyone understands the difficulties surrounding the former RUC both internally and externally but the damaging failure to pass on files about the 1992 massacre at the Sean Graham bookmakers' shop in south Belfast which emerged earlier this year was plainly the responsibility of the PSNI.
There is a very strong case for transferring historical investigations of this kind away from the PSNI, although finding the political will as well as the financial resources to do so will be a complex task.
Mr Byrne will also know that Brexit casts a dark shadow over all aspects of life here and has grave implications for policing along what could become the UK's only land border with the EU.
Most of the prospective new British prime ministers after the resignation of Theresa May plainly have a very limited understanding in this area, with Boris Johnson a candidate who will cause particular alarm on the basis of his previous record.
Mr Byrne also needs to deal with the serious threat to the entire community from the sporadic violence of dissident republicans and the openly criminal activities of loyalist groups, while also facing significant pressures over wider funding.
It is essential that he clarifies his position at an early stage over the damage caused to the credibility of the PSNI by the DUP's partisan ability to prevent police recruitment within a divided society being maintained on a 50/50 basis.
Mr Byrne was regarded as the outsider of the four applicants shortlisted for the vacancy, and perhaps unusually at 56 is five years older than Mr Hamilton who had decided that the time had come to retire.
There is also the matter of the 74 misconduct allegations, of which he was subsequently cleared, and meant that his previous contract as chief constable at Cheshire in England expired last year during a period of suspension.
Taking everything into account, the considered views of Mr Byrne on the challenges he faces as the new PSNI chief constable will be eagerly awaited.
