FEMALE CHAIRS (CONCLUDING PART) POWER IN POLICING RISE OF FEMALE


In the second and final part of our series, we spotlight the experiences of females leading at branch level, as they reflect on their journeys, challenges and hopes for policing’s future


For the first time in its 106-year history, the Federation has eight female branch chairs serving across the country, joined at the top by Tiff Lynch, only the second woman ever elected as National Chair. This is more than a statistic. It’s a


signal of cultural transformation within policing, a profession historically shaped by tradition and hierarchy. These women bring with them not only years of operational experience, but also lived perspectives that are helping reshape what leadership looks like and who it represents.


In the following interviews, these pioneering leaders speak candidly about their journeys, their vision for the future,


34 | POLICE | OCTOBER | 2025


and the very real challenges they’ve faced and continue to challenge. Their words, presented unaltered, offer insight into a Federation that is becoming more inclusive, more resilient, and more representative of the people it serves. This is a defining moment. And these are the women defining it.


AILEEN O’CONNOR CHAIR, TVP What inspired you to put yourself forward for this leadership role within the


Federation, and how did your journey here unfold? I joined TVP Federation six years ago as workplace Fed rep, after 17 years as a frontline officer I was at a crossroads when the opportunity to stand to be a Fed rep came up. I had little knowledge around what the Federation did at the time both locally and nationally, and I also saw that it was a very male-dominated field - something I thought I could change. I became a trustee within my first year, then an opportunity to become a board member arose, which I stood for and got. The Deputy Chair left the role and with only two years’ experience I stood for that Deputy Chair position, and I successfully


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