Chief Superintendent Goretti Sheridan: ‘Modern policing includes more than crime fighting’

I didn’t always want to be a guard. My initial thoughts were, I’ll try it out for two years… well, here I am almost 32 years later

It wasn’t really on my radar until a customer in a pub I worked in while at college brought me in the advertisement cutting from the Irish Press newspaper; he recommended the guards as a career. I subsequently joined An Garda Síochána in 1993. I have absolutely no regrets and feel no other job would have given me the experience and opportunities I have been privileged to have had in this organisation.

In college and prior to joining An Garda Síochána, I studied computing to degree level in the Regional Technical College in Letterkenny and the University of Ulster in Derry.

I undertook further studies whilst in An Garda Síochána, including a Masters in Criminology, a Postgraduate Diploma in Serious Crime Investigation, a Postgraduate Certificate in Governance, a Postgraduate Diploma in Executive Leadership, and certificates in Human Rights in Policing and Critical Incident Stress Management. My mother always said ‘education is easily carried’ and there is certainly truth in this. These courses have all provided me with varying perspectives and allowed me to be more informed in my decision-making at work.

My most formative work experience started when I was 15.

I was working in shops, bars and restaurants in my home village in Donegal. At 18, I worked in London for a summer in a bookies and a bar. All of these jobs educated me about earning your own money, having a good work ethic, and provided me with a skillset to deal with customers, work colleagues and the public. Starting work at a young age also provided me with the confidence and ability to learn and take on challenging roles. It also gave me the confidence to believe in myself.

I spent my first 20 years in An Garda Síochána working in Dublin.

I absolutely loved it. I spent nine of these years in Tallaght and what a privilege it was to work there with the best of people. Throughout my career, I worked in specialised units such as drugs, immigration, fraud and community policing units. Since 2013, I have been in manager roles, working as an Inspector, a Superintendent and now Chief Superintendent. Each of these roles, although challenging, has been rewarding. There is so much learning in An Garda Síochána. There have been ups and downs throughout my career, which in so many ways have enhanced my resilience and determination to keep working hard.

The most invaluable thing I learned early on in my career was that there is so much to learn from others.

Once you are willing to learn and seek out advice and support in your career, you will go places. No one person knows everything, but building up a network of colleagues with expertise across the workplace will enhance your knowledge base and ability to perform. I also learned that you can truly have a positive impact on the people you interact with at work. For example, this was evident in dealing with victims of crime, and in particular, victims of domestic abuse and sexual violence from an early age. That initial interaction with people is key to their experience of policing.

A common misconception about what I do is that policing is all ‘cops and robbers!’

This couldn’t be further from the truth. Modern policing includes more than crime fighting. We play a holistic role in society in keeping people safe. This includes working in partnership with communities and stakeholders to improve the quality of life for all our citizens. Key stakeholders work hand in hand to support those most vulnerable in society.

My main responsibility in work is to manage all aspects of policing in county Donegal.

There is a perception that rural policing is quiet, but this is certainly not the case. Donegal has many challenges, including its extensive coastline and border with Northern Ireland. I also hold many regional and national portfolios. These include roles such as internal discipline/criminal investigations, the implementation and rollout of national projects, chairperson of the North Western Region Women’s Network and Council Member of the 30% Club representing An Garda Síochána.

I have been very lucky throughout my career at every rank to have people who have encouraged and inspired me.

I love the fact that as a senior member in An Garda Síochána, I can now mentor and encourage other members/staff. It’s so important to recognise talent and ability and to nurture it. I had that privilege throughout my career where colleagues positively influenced me to believe in myself and my ability to excel and progress in the organisation.

The biggest risk I have taken in my career so far is going for promotion to Chief Superintendent.

I feel this is a real achievement and were it not for encouragement coming from others, I would not have believed in my ability to achieve the rank. The process was extremely hard work, but I am delighted to have put myself forward. Female representation across the organisation is improving, thankfully.

I wake at 5.30am during the week.

The first thing I do every morning is go for a run and/or sea swim. I am blessed to live beside the sea and have great friends who I meet in the morning before getting into work mode. The shock of ice-cold water certainly sets you up for the day. My morning routine is getting some fresh air and exercise. Then work commences; emails at the outset followed by whatever the day brings. No two days are the same – that is the joy of policing.

I can’t go to work without having a cup of tea. Who can live their life without tea!

I start my working day at 8am. On an average workday, I deal with matters involving human resources, governance and accountability of budgets and meetings with internal and external stakeholders. I am often on the road with work. The first thing I do at work is walk around the station to say hello to the staff on the ground and find out what has happened overnight. I feel it is important to stay connected to junior members on the front line and recognise the work that is being done there. I usually spend the first portion of the day doing emails and making phone calls.

I’m not great at getting out of the office for lunch.

I normally have lunch with me; fruit, yoghurt and granola are a staple for most days. When I make the effort to get out of the office I feel the benefit of doing so; therefore, I need to make a concerted effort to get out more! I rarely get through my working day without having a coffee. Coffee is a staple mid-morning every working day.

The most useful business tool I use every day is my Outlook calendar.

Planning my days and weeks in advance is key as I have numerous meetings and travel a lot with work – I save time by being organised and managing my calendar. I use social media to keep in contact with friends and family.

The best part of my day is talking to the Gardaí who are operating at the front line and who are literally keeping people safe.

I love reading and hearing about their investigations. I often receive letters from members of the public complimenting the significant and impactful actions my staff have taken. The most challenging part of my day is dealing with HR issues and endeavouring to share limited resources across the varying areas in the county. Managing expectations of all personnel can often be a challenge.

I know it’s been a good day if I am smiling leaving the office knowing that I have had a positive impact on something or someone.

My work day ends at any time from 5-9pm depending on what work I have on. I’m not great at leaving the office on time. I need to get better at this – the long evenings are coming in and so these days should entice me out of the office on time.

I switch off from work by exercising and calling to family or friends who keep me grounded.

When I finish work, I always clear my desk so that when I come back, I’m starting off on a clean space. I will always know in advance what meetings I have scheduled and be prepared for them in advance. A walk on the beach is a fantastic way to clear the head. Rain, hail or shin,e I love a walk on the beach. Before I go to bed, I’ll watch some TV.

In policing I must be prepared to ‘expect the unexpected’ – this can happen in a split second.

Policing brings so many challenges and no two days are the same. For example, there are often reports of a very serious incident where I must mobilise during any time of night or day, like murders and fatal road traffic collisions. One example of this was when I received a phone call that a member of my Detective Branch, Colm Horkan, was shot dead in Castlerea in June 2020. I immediately mobilised and went to the scene of the tragic incident where at the outset, I held responsibility for managing the scene. This was particularly difficult to manage for a number of reasons, as you can imagine.

The accomplishment I’m most proud of is achieving the rank of Chief Superintendent in An Garda Síochána.

There are very few women in this rank and I’m thrilled that I am in a position where I can influence change in the organisation.

If you want to get into my line of work, my advice is to go for it – join An Garda Síochána.

It is the most amazing job where no two days are the same. There is so much variety and opportunity in it. It is a challenging and exciting job with unique demands; it is a job which will present new and interesting experiences. I guarantee you will not be bored. You can really have such a positive impact on the lives of others if you are committed to your job. I still love my job after almost nearly 32 years.

I have just finished preparing my Policing Plan for 2025 for the Donegal Division.

This entailed seeking input from internal and external stakeholders in Donegal so as to address all needs in the county. I have many ongoing tasks outside the day job of policing in Donegal. I have a real interest in gender and policing and completed a thesis on this previously. I am heavily involved in the Women’s Network where we are currently organising a coaching masterclass for middle-rank members entitled “Breaking Through Barriers: Empowering Women to Go for Promotion in An Garda Síochána”. I feel that senior female managers, who have progressed through the organisation, have a responsibility to encourage and nurture those junior members coming behind us. We must leave a legacy of experienced and confident female managers, so the organisation can continue to benefit from female representation across all ranks in the future.

If you are interested in a career in An Garda Síochána, you have until 3pm on Thursday, February 27 to apply for the Garda Recruitment Competition. Apply here.