Sergeant recognised for support work

Sergeant Bridget Martin receives her Woolf Fisher Police Fellowship from (left) Commissioner of...
Sergeant Bridget Martin receives her Woolf Fisher Police Fellowship from (left) Commissioner of Police Mike Bush and Woolf Fisher Trust chairman Sir Noel Robinson. PHOTO: SUPPLIED
A Queenstown police officer feels humbled by a recent professional accolade. Queenstown reporter Daisy Hudson talks to Bridget Martin about life on the front line.

At the worst moments in people's lives, Bridget Martin is there.

The Queenstown-based sergeant (46) has one of the most traumatic roles in policing - she is part of the national disaster victim identification team.

That has brought her face to face with the stark realities of some of New Zealand's biggest tragedies, from the Canterbury earthquakes to Pike River and the Christchurch terror attacks.

"I always think about how I would want to be treated, if it was my loved one," she said.

"I'm someone that comes into someone's life at the worst time in their life, and what I do behind the scenes will make the process so much better for them."

Her work, and the empathy she has shown while carrying it out, has earned her a prestigious fellowship.

Sgt Martin was one of 15 officers nationwide, and the only one in the Southern policing district, to be awarded a Woolf Fisher Police Fellowship in honour of outstanding service.

Each fellow was nominated by police colleagues, which was a "very humbling" surprise, she said.

"You don't do what you do for recognition, and there are so many police out there who toil away in their communities, and don't get recognition," she said.

"So when you receive something like this, you feel so humbled, but probably three-quarters of your heart is with those other police officers who do such an amazing job as well."

The honour comes with funding to travel abroad for up to six or eight weeks. That includes time to holiday and undertake a pre-agreed study programme.

Sgt Martin will head overseas to look at how other countries deal with disasters and victim identification processes.

"I look at countries where I can gain improvements for my victims, my families, my responders.

"I'm always looking at `how can I make things better?'."

The awards were presented recently at the Royal New Zealand Police College.

One of the reasons the fellowship was so special was that it also recognised the families of officers, Sgt Martin said.

"My son is probably the most well-versed 10-year-old in disaster victim identification.

"While I was at Christchurch, [son] Harry went to the local market here and brought a chilli plant, because he wanted something living for when I came home," she said.

While her work does take a toll, she has no plans to give it up any time soon.

"I would never not want to work in this space, because I think it's one of the most rewarding in the police, working with families, because you just know how you can help."

She does not do things by halves, which she puts down to her background in around-the-world sailing.

"You're surrounded by top performers, gold-medal winners, so there is no `I don't think I'll do that today'.

"You're not on the team unless you are totally focused. So that sort of set the grounding."

So why go from sailing to police?

Sgt Martin has a pretty straight-up answer.

"I wanted to catch baddies.

"A policeman in the States said to me, `Something bad happens to really good people every day, and you can help that'. That was the turning point."

Comments

What an inspiring person ... it's so good to know you are out there! Thank you and congratulations on the award.

 

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