The Police Service of Northern Ireland has introduced Chief Superintendent Amanda Ford as the new Belfast Area Commander.

With 18 years of experience, Chief Superintendent Ford is the first woman to hold the position of Area Commander for the city. She succeeds Chief Superintendent Jeremy Lindsay in the post.

Since joining the Police Service of Northern Ireland in 2008, Amanda has served in a variety of Local Policing roles throughout Belfast, Mid Ulster, and Newry, Mourne and Down, establishing strong connections with local communities and stakeholders. She possesses an established track record in progressive policing and change management, which included contributing to the delivery of the South Armagh Review in 2019. Her previous senior leadership positions spans roles within Belfast, the Operational Support Department, and the Executive Office, managing portfolios such as Chief of Staff, Protective Services, Armed Policing, and Strategic Partnerships.

Chief Superintendent Ford said: "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. 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. "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.

"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.

"I am extremely fortunate to have such committed officers and staff and I will be visiting our local stations and speaking with them to better understand their concerns and requirements. They continue to provide an excellent service for the communities they serve and I look forward to working alongside them.

"Belfast city is both vibrant and diverse, which is a great place to work, live and socialise. I welcome engaging with the various stakeholders and partner agencies, who want to make Belfast prosper for the communities and visitors that reside here and keep them safe."