Derry PSNI chief: good policing is about being visible, understanding and responsive

Derry’s new police commander is convinced the PSNI has a key role to play in helping to build a safe, confident and peaceful society in NI.

Chief Superintendent Emma Bond says that, first and foremost, it is her role to help lead an organisation that has people and communities at the heart of its vision for a better society.

“It’s about creating real participation - genuine partnership - between police and the community,” she says.

Chief Superintendent Bond is already breaking moulds by being the first ever woman to command the PSNI in the Derry and Strabane district.

With more than twenty years’ service in the police, Ch. Supt. Bond brings wide ranging experience to her new job and believes she has the necessary skills to help lead the PSNI forward.

She’s been in her “new” job since January and has already set out her stall as regards local policing priorities.

With senior command team roles in the Belfast and Antrim & Newtownabbey Districts under her belt, the Co. Down born Chief Super is relishing the challenge of her latest role.

“I really love being in Derry - it’s a beautiful city,” she says. “And, hopefully, with the future easing of the Covid-19 restrictions, I’ll be able to get out and about more and see much more of it.”

Good policing, says Emma Bond, is, ultimately, about being visible, accessible, understanding and responsive.

“My vision of policing is, I believe, straightforward enough and at a basic level it is about local policing being in touch with local communities to help solve local problems.

“Policing can be so complex with such a diverse range of issues across so many communities. But I think it’s crucial that we all realise that, more often than not, there is no single policing answer to many of these issues. That’s why I believe other statutory agencies, the community and voluntary sector, and the very communities themselves have a key role to play in this process of engagement.

“The more we understand of the communities that we are here to serve, the better we can fashion policing to meet their needs.”

Chief. Supt. Bond acknowledges that, while she has a major responsibility to her staff, the job is, ultimately, about acting in the public interest.

“A good commander, I believe, can appreciate that, sometimes, things can go wrong. It’s key that we learn from any mistakes, help people to do the very best they can while, at the same time, being able to strike the right balance between authority, accountability and leadership.”

The new police commander admits that, sometimes, it can be difficult being a boss.

“While it’s not a popularity contest, I want to be liked and I want people to be happy in their jobs and to be happy about coming to work. However, at the same time, I have to deliver on the job the Chief Constable wants and the community expects me to live up to.”

She says that, while she’s delighted to be the first female police commander in the city - she doesn’t want to be defined by her gender.

“I’d like to see more women in leadership roles in the police and I hope my own leadership journey will continue . Equally, I want to see more women following on behind me.

“I genuninely do believe that, in the near future, we will have a woman chief constable of the PSNI. Female chief constables are in place across the UK and internationally and I don’t see why the PSNI will be any different. I definitely see it in my lifetime and possibly within  the next decade.”

Turning to local policing issues, Chief Supt. Bond says the “scourge” of drugs is a key priority for her officers.

“Again, as with so many policing issues nowadays, we rely on our local communities to help stop the scourge of drug dealing. The use of drugs, particularly among young people, is wrecking communities and ruining lives. People should be in no doubt that we are proactively targeting those who sell drugs on our streets. However, information from the public is vital in helping us to target operations and identify those responsible for drugs activity in our society.”

Chief Supt. Bond also agreed that dissident republicans remain a threat.

She said that, while they posed an active danger, she did not think there was any “groundswell of support” for them in the community.

“Violent dissidents need to know there is no hiding place for them in our community,” she added.