A FEMALE police officer has been appointed Belfast Area Commander for the first time.
Chief Superintendent Amanda Ford has been appointed to the role, which she takes over from Chief Superintendent Jeremy Lindsay.
Chf Supt Ford has 18 years of experience with the PSNI, having joined the force in 2008.
She has held local policing roles across Newry, Mourne and Down, Mid Ulster and Belfast as well as senior leadership roles.
Chief Superintendent Amanda Ford (Pic: PSNI)“I am absolutely delighted to be appointed Area Commander for Belfast and look forward to tackling the different challenges and issues which makes the city unique,” Chf Supt Ford said this week as her appointment was confirmed.
“I would like to thank Chief Superintendent Lindsay for all of his hard work and dedication that I hope to replicate and build upon during my time as Area Commander” she added.
Outlining her plans for the role, she explained: “My priorities are firmly aligned to the Northern Ireland Policing Plan and being victim, community and workforce focused.
“That means doing everything we can to support victims and protect the vulnerable, being visible and engaged in our neighbourhoods, and ensuring our officers and staff are properly supported to deliver the service the public rightly expects and deserves.”
She added: "The reality is that we are operating in a context of little to no financial investment for growth in capability and capacity.
"I recognise fully that other organisations and partners are also working under real pressure and constraint which is why we must work collaboratively; to plan early, share information, and coordinate our efforts so that, together, we better meet victim and community needs.
“I am fully committed to partnership working and to focusing our collective efforts on tackling the issues causing the most harm in Belfast, whether that is violence, exploitation, anti-social behaviour, hate, or the ongoing impact of drugs and organised criminality on communities. “
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