Appointment of Lord-Lieutenant of County Tyrone: 15 October 2026
The King has been pleased to appoint Mr William James Baxter QPM DL as His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of County Tyrone.
The King has been pleased to appoint Mr William James Baxter QPM DL as His Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant of County Tyrone, to succeed Sir Robert William Lowry Scott KCVO OBE following his retirement on 17th June 2026.
Background
Mr Baxter served in the RUC/PSNI from 1973 until his retirement in 2003 when he held the rank of Superintendent and was District Commander in Omagh from 1997 - including the day of the Omagh bombing in 1998. He has served as Chairperson of the Omagh Police District Voluntary Welfare Support Group and has been actively involved in the welfare and support for police widows and disabled police officers.
He served as Clerk of Kirk Session, Newtownstewart Presbyterian Church, for 26 years and was an Elder for 31 years. Mr Baxter has served as Sheriff for County Tyrone in 2013 and is President of the Royal British Legion in Newtownstewart. He was awarded the RUC Service Medal, Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, The Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal and The Queen’s Police Medal.
Mr Baxter has served as Deputy Lieutenant of County Tyrone for 14 years. He lives in County Tyrone with his wife, Pearl, and has two adult children and four grand-children.