Women are a force to be reckoned with
Females in four out of 10 top Garda posts are changing face of policing
WOMEN now make up a significant proportion of Garda senior management, holding four of the 10 assistant and deputy commissioner posts for the first time in history.
Three out of the eight assistant commissioner posts are now held by women and, for the second time, there is also a woman in one of the two deputy commissioner roles.
A recently retired PSNI member has also been appointed assistant commissioner for the first time, and joins a handful of her former Northern colleagues recruited to An Garda Síochána in recent years, including Garda Commissioner Drew Harris.
Anne Marie McMahon became only the second woman to hold a deputy commissioner post after she was appointed on an interim basis by Commissioner Harris last month. She is responsible for strategy, governance, and performance until the position is filled on a fulltime basis. Former Garda Commissioner Nóirín O’Sullivan is the only other woman to have held the role.
Ms McMahon was appointed after the Policing Authority rejected all candidates on its shortlist from its last competition to fill the role, and had not applied for the position.
From Kilmurry, Co. Clare, Ms McMahon joined An Garda Síochána in 1986 and spent a significant portion of her career in the Limerick Garda division. She was appointed assistant commissioner in 2016 and has been responsible for the Southern Region.
Meanwhile, the former head of the Criminal Assets Bureau, Pat Clavin, was this week appointed assistant commissioner on a temporary basis arising from the appointment of Ms Mahon to the deputy commissioner post.
Retired PSNI chief superintendent Paula Hilman was unveiled as Assistant Commissioner this month – the first time an officer from the
North has taken on the role.
She was head of the PSNI’s Public Protection Branch, responsible for investigating domestic and sexual abuse, offender management and online child abuse imagery.
She supervised the investigation into the alleged rape of a young woman by Ulster rugby players Paddy Jackson and Stuart Olding in 2017. After the verdict Ms Hilman said the trial had ‘provoked much comment and debate’ and ‘while we respect the verdict it should not deter victims of serious sexual crime from contacting police’.
She also paid tribute to the young woman for her ‘resolve and confidence’ in coming forward and putting ‘her faith in police and the criminal justice process’.
One of 23 applicants for the post – 18 men and five women – Ms Hilman was the only one who was not a serving Garda officer.
Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan said: ‘This is a significant milestone, representing the first time a member of the PSNI will be appointed to the rank of Assistant Commissioner. Ms Hilman has over 30 years’ experience and will undoubtedly bring valuable expertise to her new role at a time of significant change in An Garda Síochána.’
Also appointed Assistant Commissioner this month is Anne Marie Cagney, who has risen quickly through the ranks in recent years.
Assistant Commissioner Cagney has 31 years’ experience in the Garda in strategic and operational policing roles, including responsibility for leading a significant programme of change and renewal. She was appointed chief superintendent for Dublin Metropolitan East Division in February 2018 and prior to that she was a detective superintendent with national responsibility for Human Trafficking and Organised Prostitution investigations.
Ms Cagney has degrees in Law and Police Management. She also has a Professional Certificate in Whistleblowing Law and Practice.
Mr Flanagan added: ‘It is important that An Garda Síochána reflects the community that it serves and – 61 years after women were first admitted to the organisation – it is not past time that we are moving towards a more equal representation of women in the most senior leadership positions.’
Assistant Commissioner Orla McPartlin has been in the senior rank for almost four years and this month became head of the force’s Security and Intelligence section.
A native of Co. Carlow, she has more than 36 years’ experience in the force and started her career as a garda in Crumlin before being promoted to sergeant in 1990 and moving to Monaghan, Tallaght and Roscommon.
In 2002 Ms McPartlin was promoted to inspector, making superintendent a few years later before she became chief superintendent in 2012 and was appointed Assistant Commissioner five years later.
‘Three out of eight AC posts are held by women’
‘It’s first time a member of the PSNI will be AC’