In a landmark victory, Emma Bond - the first female commander of Derry City and Strabane - has been awarded over £31,000 in a sex discrimination case against the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI). The tribunal found her claims to be "well founded," shedding light on an incident during the early days of the pandemic.

Emma Bond, a former PSNI Chief Superintendent and recipient of an MBE for service to policing in 2019, found herself at the centre of controversy when she raised concerns about officers working from home during the first lockdown while still receiving their salaries. The officers claimed they were on stand-by from home but Bond confronted them, leading to a series of complaints against her.

Four officers filed complaints against Bond, alleging her behaviour was "humiliating, intimidating, and degrading." One complaint even resulted in a notice for potential misconduct, although it was later withdrawn.

Following this, Bond informed Chief Constable Simon Byrne about derogatory remarks made about her involvement with the Women in Policing Association - which she co-founded in 2007 and chaired until 2021 - and the tribunal was given evidence of misogynistic WhatsApp messages from junior staff.

Despite her commendable 23-year career in the PSNI, Bond was later transferred to a role in the police training college against her wishes. The justification given was concern over her two-hour commute, yet her male replacement faced no such relocation, raising questions about the fairness of the decision.

Following a protracted tribunal process that began in January, the Belfast tribunal concluded that Bond's claim of sex discrimination was "well founded." The ruling also acknowledged that she had been subjected to detriment for making protected disclosures and the tribunal noted that Bond was treated less favourably than a hypothetical male comparator, emphasizing the existence of gender bias within the organisation.

Bond is now an assistant Chief Constable with Police Scotland.