A SENIOR police officer was accused of gross misconduct following a meeting during which it is claimed she "lost self control".
Former PSNI Chief Superintendent Emma Bond called two meetings to deliver a "rollicking" to officers in the Derry City and Strabane District.
It followed claims officers had failed to physically report for duty and allegations relating to overtime and mileage payments.
Ms Bond, now an Assistant Chief Constable with Police Scotland, is claiming sex discrimination and that she was targeted for being a whistleblower.
Barrister Aidan Sands, for the PSNI, suggested she was "abusive" at a late April 2020 meeting and accused officers of gross misconduct and possible criminality. Complaints against Ms Bond alleged her behaviour was "humiliating...intimidating... insulting...degrading".
She is also alleged to have described Strand Road as "rotten when you scratch below the surface".
Ms Bond largely disputes the claims.
She described the meetings as laying out the potential consequences for failing to report for duty.
An assessment based on one complaint led to her facing the gross misconduct charge. This was later rescinded.
But it is Ms Bond's case the misconduct charge was made without any preliminary investigation and that it tainted her reputation.
While Ms Bond claims discrimination was at the root of the action taken against her, Mr Sands noted she initially alleged it was bias by the officer assessing her behaviour at the meeting and recommending serving her with the gross misconduct charge.
The bias was because Ms Bond had been involved in a panel rejecting a promotion, that she had pulled him up for inappropriate comments and that she was involved in a disputed car accident with the officer's father.
Ms Bond had been describing how she was "horrified and shocked" at being accused of gross misconduct, leading to her questioning her professional credibility. She had a "warm and supportive" relationship with Chief Constable Simon Byrne, the tribunal heard.
Mr Sands read out a series of messages between the two, which he claimed showed Mr Byrne was an "empathetic and sympathetic boss in every way". The messages were written before and after Ms Bond faced the accusation of gross negligence. In one, in the summer of 2020, after the claimant stepped down as chair of the Women's Police Association, Mr Byrne wrote in a card: "Take time to smile and be proud."
Ms Bond said the relationship was professional rather than "warm and supportive". She also said she believed the chief constable lacked confidence in her. Central to her claim of discrimination was her transfer from commander of Derry City and Strabane District to head of the police training college.
But Ms Bond's own submission to the panel reviewing transfers reveals she was lukewarm about staying in the past, Mr Sands suggested.
That and other evidence shows she "dreaded going in to work" and had a four hour a day commute from her home in Co Down.
Ms Bond argued she wanted to stay in the job, which she believed was a challenge and unfinished.
It also emerged that an outside police force was called to review the circumstances around overtime and mileage payments and the gross misconduct charge. It recommended dropping the charge but for other lesser management action be taken to address Ms Bond's conduct at the two meetings.
The hearing continues.
