Derry gets new PSNI area commander

Chief Superintendent Nigel Goddard is the PSNI's new area commander for the Derry City and Strabane policing district.

With close to 29 years police service in the North, the Lancashire-born officer brings with him a wealth of operational policing experience from having served in a number of roles and districts across in Northern Ireland.

These have included area commander of Ballymena in 2012, and working in Belfast with responsibility for the city centre and, in particular, issues surrounding the night time economy.

From 2014 to 2018, one of his responsibilities was policing of football and he led the operation, alongside national colleagues during the 2016 Euro Championship in France.

In 2018, he was seconded to the National Police Chiefs Council in London where he served for three-and-a-half-years leading the National Police Coordination Centre. During this time he worked on the delivery of major national policing events such as presidential visits, COP26 conference, EU exit and Covid, including the operation to support the delivery of Covid-19 vaccines.

He said: "I've worked mostly in uniform operational policing roles in a number of districts in Northern Ireland, but this is the first time to be in the North West. I haven’t been sent to Derry City and Strabane, I asked to come here, and I am very happy to be here,"

Woman hospitalised following County Derry cliff fall

The casualty was taken to hospital following the incident last night.

"This is a place where there is an appetite to work with police and build trust, confidence and legitimacy, and I'm looking forward to carrying on the work of my predecessors in being involved and participating in the civic development and growth of this city and delivering ‘good policing’."