Safety of women a top priority for Strabane’s new PSNI commander

STRABANE’s new police chief is making the safety of women one of her top priorities.

Chief Superintendent Gillian Kearney, an officer with more than 20 years of experience in a variety of roles across the North, has taken up the reins as the PSNI’s new Area Commander for Derry and Strabane.

Outlining her priorities in the top post, the Chief Superintendent said she was looking forward to engaging with the local community and promoting women’s safety.

She said, “I’m looking forward to continuing the good work that already exists, bringing my experience to build on that with partners and making our communities safer.

“In particular, I’m really keen to work with partners to make safer spaces for women and girls, at home and when they’re out in the community.

“As the Police Service Lead for this priority, I want to make sure that we are doing as much as we can to keep women and girls safe and bring perpetrators of domestic abuse before the courts.”

She added, “Good policing 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.

“Often, there is no single policing answer to many of these issues which is why other statutory agencies, the community and voluntary sector, and the very communities themselves have a key role to play in ensuring we are dealing with the things that matter most in Derry City and Strabane.”

CHALLENGES

But making the district safer for women is just one of a number of challenges facing the new area commander.

The senior officer said that she wanted to decrease the amount of illegal drugs sold locally, while also dealing with the ever-present threat from terrorism.

She added, “It is important to me that our local communities feel confident in the service we provide. With any big town or city, there will always be challenges.

“Our policing priorities include tackling the illegal use and supply of illicit drugs and helping reduce the harm and trauma caused in local areas.

“All this is against a severe terrorist threat, which can be challenging, but I know my officers are not deterred by this in doing their job.”

Chief Supt Kearney has an abundance of experience working in various roles for the PSNI.

She said it was ‘lovely’ to be back in the North West, where she started her policing career as a young recruit.

The area commander said, “I began my career in Waterside Station as a probationary Constable and spent three years in the city.

It is so encouraging to see just how much investment there has been in the city, in particular, and how busy it is.

“Since I started in my new role I’ve been out and about meeting my teams and partners, and I hope to continue that as much as possible. It’s lovely to be back.”