You may be wondering: what exactly is a Director of Public Safety? It is a person responsible for implementing a crime-prevention policy defined by the city council. One could also describe the role as Director of the Municipal Police.
Halida Boumertit held this position for many years. She passed away while still in office after a long illness on December 7, 2014, at the age of 41. More than eleven years have passed, and I wanted to look back on her career.
When she moved to the Île-de-France region to find work, she came across a job posting for a senior management position within the police force in the late 1990s. We know how challenging it can be today for a woman of immigrant background to access such a role—so imagine what it was like at that time.
But that didn’t discourage her. She simply said: “I tried. I had nothing to lose.” Once her application was accepted, she became deeply and remarkably committed..Only death stopped her because despite her illness, she continued working until the very end
Halida is a true example of willpower, courage, and determination. If you believe you have the skills for a position that may seem very “male-dominated,” think of Halida and remember her words:
“I tried. I had nothing to lose.”