Constable Bridget Suckling

 

Constable Bridget Suckling

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Constable Bridget Suckling

Someone is going to make this, and I’m going to be one of them.

What is your current role and what does that involve?

I work on the Tactical Crime Unit at Avondale in Auckland City District. It’s an investigative team that targets problem volume crime such as burglaries, car crime or some drug offending. We gather information and execute search warrants to catch those responsible and hopefully return property to victims.

What role were you doing when Women in Blue was filmed in 2015?

I was on the Alcohol Harm Reduction Team which meant working with bottle stores, taverns, nightclubs and other licensed premises to ensure that they adhered to the Sale of Liquor Act. We worked hard to minimise the harm caused by excessive or inappropriate consumption of alcohol. The aim is still to ensure the sale, supply, and consumption of alcohol is undertaken safely and responsibly. I also worked in Police Search and Rescue (SAR) and on the national Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) team which assists in the recovery and identification of human remains.

When did you join NZ Police?

I joined in 2005.

What are your hobbies and interests?

Dog training and LandSAR.  I’m a member of the Auckland LandSAR group which is made of members of the public – a group full of amazing people who devote huge time and effort into training and deploying in search and rescue. These people turn up at all hours of the day to search for people they don’t even know. I’m also a member of the NZ LandSAR Dogs.  I used to have an operational LandSAR dog called Zinzan who was magnificent.  He died and during the filming of Women in Blue I was assigned a German Shepherd pup called Vader to train for LandSAR.  I quickly realised that Vader was too good an asset to sit at home waiting for a LandSAR call, so he is now training to become an operational police dog in Waikato.  I’ve now got another LandSAR pup, a Labrador short haired pointer cross called Everest who I hope will be suited to LandSAR work.  I also enjoy spending time with my family.

Why did you become a cop?

I joined because I love the thought of the unknown. I love the variety of the work. You never have the same day in police and you are constantly learning.  Anyone can achieve anything if they put their mind to it.

Advice to other women who are thinking about becoming a cop?

You can be anything in NZ Police, it’s about how much you want it. On the frontline, you learn that bad things happen to good people every day.  As a police officer, you can help ease the impact it has on them, reduce the risk of it occurring again and help catch the offender.  There’s nothing more rewarding than that.  One day there will be a woman as Police Commissioner.  You’re continually learning in the police.  Towards the end of filming for Women in Blue, I studied, sat and passed my Sergeants exams.  I’ve completed modules, been on a Sergeants course, relieved as an Acting Sergeant on a Public Safety Team and am now working on Tactical Crime Unit to gain more experience with the next goal of promotion to Sergeant.