Meet Our Officers

I worked in a number of roles before joining the Constabulary. My family's line of work is hairdressing and so I dabbled with a hairdressing course and helping out at the salon. I had a strong interest in journalism and so I completed a degree in the subject and I did freelance work editing a fashion magazine. Although it was nice seeing my name in print, this wasn't necessarily an avenue I wanted to pursue. While I was studying, I worked in retail and I continued in this industry after my degree. I worked in various roles and prior to joining the police, I worked as a Loss Prevention Officer, dealing with shoplifters, fraud and staff dishonesty. This was a position that I worked my way up to, but after a few years in this role, I felt like I had gone and achieved everything I wanted to in the retail industry. I wanted a change and a challenge and so I decided to embark on a new career path.

I initially joined Hertfordshire Constabulary as a Police Community Support Officer (PCSO), based in Broxbourne. I did this for nearly three years before applying and joining as a regular Police Officer.

It was working as a Loss Prevention Officer that initially gave me the steer towards a policing career though. When handing over detainees or paperwork to the police, they would often chat to me about their day. Every time, it was a different story - a traffic incident, a lost child, chaos at the pub, a domestic in the street. Meanwhile, I was in my CCTV room with no windows and a limited scope of workload and these snippets of police life inspired me.

As I am shy and had no other real insight into the police, I wanted to become a PCSO first. Each new role I have ever stepped foot into has been a personal challenge – a conflict between wanting to better myself and doing things that are way outside of my comfort zone. I remember how daunting it had been to talk over the tanoy, to phone in requests, to detain shoplifters... but in each role, I pushed myself to overcome the scary elements until I felt confident and comfortable in that role. It is at that point that I have always looked for the next big push and becoming a PCSO was my first big push into the police.

Just wearing the uniform, operating a radio and being out in the community was a challenge in itself. The role helped to show me what to expect as a regular Police Officer. With encouragement from my Police Officer colleagues, being a PCSO confirmed that I wanted to be a regular Police Officer too.

I chose Hertfordshire for a few reasons. From a practical point of view, it was easily commutable from where I lived but most of all, I liked that it was a relatively small Constabulary which means that you are never just a number. I wanted to work somewhere where there weren't too many departments so that I could have more chance of being exposed to new areas and subsequently learn more and gain extra experiences. The more I learnt about the Constabulary and its ethics, the more it appealed to me. Once I became a PCSO within Hertfordshire, I couldn't think of working anywhere else.

When I initially thought about joining the police, I was aware I could transfer to a different Constabulary if I wanted to, such as one closer to home. However, I quickly found my feet in Hertfordshire and in nine years of working here, that idea has never crossed my mind!

With no close friends or family from a policing background and being quite shy, I think I surprised people with my career choice. Everyone expected me to pursue the career in journalism or stay within retail.

Although it was a shock to everyone, my friends and family alike were so supportive, if not envious of my courage to just go for it. My family were understandably worried about my safety, but overall, they were proud as punch and still are.

The training required me to be on the ball, focused and ready to learn. It was very rewarding and week by week, I would learn new interesting things and build on my knowledge. Being shy, I worried about role playing and getting things wrong, but I grew in confidence as the course progressed.

At the time, being back in a classroom environment felt tough and draining, but the first relationships you build in the police are with those who you join with. These are people you will always remember for the length of your service. You are all in the same boat and all pull together - it's the first sense of that police family.

The toughest part overall is the thought of going out on the street after the training, especially as the public will not know that you are brand new! It was difficult not knowing what job you will be called to and what piece of information you will need to extract. However, the support continues from the classroom and things start to make more sense when you put it into practice with your coaches. Although massively daunting, it is the learning you do on the streets that is the most helpful and the most gratifying.

I worked on the frontline for five years and throughout that time, I put myself forward for courses and attachments to expand my skills and understanding. I became a response driver which means I can drive a police car on blue lights. I also trained to became a Taser carrier and an initial point of contact for sexual offences, and domestic abuse cases. I am also specifically public order/ riot trained and qualified to ‘bash down' doors for rapid entry!

I have also had my fair share of attachments to other departments in the police, including with the Road Policing Unit, the Armed Policing Unit, the Domestic Abuse Investigation and Safeguarding Unit, Crime Investigation departments and even the police helicopter. These have given me a snapshot of what their daily work looks like and also how they help in my role.

I am now on a tactical county resource team. We are a plain clothes unit that deal with high profile, high risk or violent arrests and warrants. We also investigate county drug lines and cannabis factories. We work alongside many other specialised units as a resource on the ground, including for the major crime, firearms and covert units.

As part of this recent role I am now trained in drug identification and drug testing.

Alongside my normal day job, I am also a mentor. I work alongside the recruitment department to assist people through the recruitment journey. This is a very rewarding role; being a point of contact for those people making that decision to work for Hertfordshire Constabulary and seeing them make it into uniform.

Recently as a mentor, I took a step out of my comfort zone again by accepting to speak in front of a large group of people! This was a roleplay interview in front of potential new recruits and it helped to give them an idea of how the application process works.

I love that every day is different. Some days, you are truly thanked for the work that you do and it's nice knowing that you have made a positive impact on someone's life. It is usually a small task that you complete, that they will remember for the rest of their life.

On the flip side when you deal with the gruesome, horrible or bad things, I like that you face it as part of a team. These are situations that you would probably never see in any other line of work and you build relationships with your team to get through it and support one another.

You see the best and worst in people and I like that you just don't get that anywhere else. This job really opens your eyes.

In general, the public realise you are just doing a job. Many are thankful and most are respectful. There are times when drink, drugs, stress, or other factors will affect how people react to police, but overall the public respond in a manner to which you police. If you are fair and honest with them, they will thank you – even if you are giving them a traffic ticket or interviewing them for an offence.

Some days it feels like the hardest job in the world and I wouldn't wish it on anyone, but every job has days like that! And with the downs there are many ups. Even when you moan and have bad days, you still wouldn't see yourself doing any other job.

I would never get the rewards, adrenaline, challenges and variety in any other career. If I feel I want a change, I can apply to move to a different role or department and then complete different work – there are so many opportunities in the police! Ultimately, the police has moulded me into who I am today and I now see the world in a completely different light.

Like any career, policing isn't for everyone – but for those who like a challenge and want to do the best by others – this could totally be for you.

I worked in retail as a line manager at multiple Tesco stores. I also have a degree in Graphic Design and Advertising.

I think I always had a subconscious interest in becoming a Police Officer. Throughout my life I had always tried to help people and was conscious of my surroundings. I could see beyond situations that other people wouldn't notice, and could take control of dealing with conflict situations that others might run away from. I felt that being a Police Officer would give me the opportunity to use these attributes and stretch myself in a challenging and fulfilling career.

I chose Hertfordshire after attending an Insight day and being impressed by the information provided and how the Constabulary worked. I'm from a neighbouring county and so I liked that Hertfordshire was close enough to home without being on my doorstop.

I found that my family and friends were really enthusiastic and supportive. They all felt that I would be good as a Police Officer.

The training was intense as there was a lot to learn in a short period of time, but it was also really fun! I especially enjoyed learning the new skills in our personal safety training.

The best bit of training is the officers that you train with. You have an instant network that stays with you throughout your career. For me, the toughest part was the law aspect as I come from a background that had no policing experience or knowledge. This was my toughest challenge to get to grips with – particularly, having to then find the confidence to act on what I had learned.

I work on a response team in Dacorum, answering 999 calls, and this is the same department and team I have been on since joining four years ago. This has allowed me to grow as an officer and develop my skills. I have been able to come into contact with a large variety of departments, which has included an attachment with the National Police Air Service and assisting with a training day for the dog unit. I have also shared my learning by coaching new students and assisting with potential new officers on informative pre-joining events.

Every day and minute is different from the next and as someone with an active work ethic, I enjoy being kept on my toes. I like that you can never fully plan ahead or know what you are going to be doing! The career possibilities are endless and there are lots of different job roles you can take on or gain exposure to. The learning is never-ending. You never stop developing new skills – both everyday life skills such as communication, and operational skills like response driving, Taser or method of entry.

A lot of the time, the public respond to me in a positive way. There are a few individuals that don't respond so well but they are heavily outnumbered. It's a great feeling when you receive positive feedback from the public. It's rewarding and that's not something you always get in other jobs.

If you like a fast paced active job, with endless possibilities for career and personal development, then it's a brilliant job to have and the opportunities are endless!

I worked in the mobile telecommunications industry for 13 years before taking redundancy. I worked in Fraud Prevention and Police Liaison so I already had experience in investigation.

Initially, I joined Hertfordshire Constabulary as a civilian investigator in the Crime Desk at the old Hatfield Police Station in 2005. A Detective Sergeant I worked with suggested I join as an officer with a view to completing the Trainee Investigator (T/DC) Programme. I was 38 and my initial thought was that I was too old and not fit enough, but after discussing it with a personal trainer at my local gym, he wrote me a training plan and arranged a practice 'bleep test'.

I was actually born in Leeds, West Yorkshire but I have lived in North Hertfordshire for the past 30 years. I chose to join Hertfordshire because I already worked there in a civilian role and found everyone really friendly and supportive. As a single parent with three children at home, residential training wasn't an option for me and when I joined in 2007, Hertfordshire had just introduced non-residential initial training at Letchworth which was really handy.

As I already worked there, it wasn't a big surprise for them. When my children were younger it was just like any other job to them, except for having to keep the noise down when I was sleeping after night shifts. Now they are older they're proud of what I've achieved and they think having a detective for a mum is pretty cool!

I found spending 12 weeks in a classroom quite a challenge and although the guest speakers were interesting, I was getting a bit stir-crazy towards the end. I preferred the attachments to various units, where I got to practise my policing skills under the supervision of a tutor.

After my initial training I worked on Intervention/Response as a uniformed PC but joined the Trainee Investigator Programme very early on in my career. I spent the first couple of years as a detective investigating volume and priority crimes, including assaults, robberies and burglaries.

I moved on to the Major Crime Unit where I worked on murder investigations across Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire as an investigator and Family Liaison Officer. On promotion to Detective Sergeant I transferred to the Safeguarding Command where I supervised the management and investigation of Registered Sex Offenders.

After a short period as an Acting Detective Inspector in the Sexual Offences Investigation Team, I went back into uniform for the first time in 10 years, on the frontline as an Intervention Inspector for 18 months. I've been a Detective Inspector in the Domestic Abuse Investigation and Safeguarding Unit since October 2018.

It's fascinating; I've witnessed human behaviour at its very worst and some of the most selfless and brave acts imaginable. You really do see all aspects of life.

I like the variety of it too. In my current role I could be leading an attempted murder investigation one day and providing training to front-line officers or chairing a multi-agency meeting the next. Although my work mainly involves the investigation of domestic abuse offences, I'm also on the on-call Detective Inspector rota, which means I become the initial investigative lead for any serious crime incident that takes place out of 'office hours' that week.

I enjoy the team-spirit and am always impressed by how much team members support each other and their commitment to serving the public. It makes me proud to know that my teams make a real and positive difference to people's lives.

They are generally very positive. As someone who joined policing later in life, I'm able to reflect on my own experiences of parenting, relationships, bereavement and life in general, when dealing with the members of the public. I can often speak from experience which I think they recognise and respect.

Because every day is different whatever the role and also the opportunities open to you are so varied. I've worked on covert operations, interviewed murderers, been part of national multi-agency strategic groups, taken cases to the Old Bailey and attended my fair share of pub fights. I've had some really challenging roles and policing is demanding, but there have been times when I've thought, "people are watching crime dramas on TV, but I'm doing this for real".

I worked in an office at the University of Bedfordshire and also did a myriad of other jobs. I worked at a cinema, as a builder, in a bowling alley, in offices and shops and these have all given me a raft of life experiences!

I joined in 2007 because I wanted to help those who can't help themselves, but on top of that, I joined because I wanted to help change my community's views about the role. My heritage is from Kashmir in Pakistan and it can be difficult for minority communities to feel able to ask for help from outside their community. By joining the police, I wanted to help break down those barriers and be the visible representation for my community. Policing has come a long way since then and I'm glad to have been able to contribute to that.

I didn't know the community or staff in Hertfordshire Constabulary before I joined as a Police Officer. Having attended a Hertfordshire Constabulary Insight evening, I found everyone to be welcoming and encouraging. I wanted to join a progressive and inclusive Constabulary and over the years the Constabulary's ever increasing drive for better representation has really shown me it was the right decision.

Joining over a decade ago, the views from friends and family were initially of some concern as to whether I would be accepted as an Asian male in the police service and whether the role would conflict with our traditional values. It was particularly a concern for my parents who had high expectations of me and wanted me to be in a role where I could learn, progress and fulfil my potential. I have found that being a Police Officer is what you make it. You do the right thing and this comes from your values, regardless of your background or culture. Progressing up the ranks into leadership roles is something my family and friends are proud of, as am I, and they are always excited to hear about the amazing training and stories that come from such an unpredictable career.

Training to be a Constable, a Sergeant and an Inspector isn't like any other training. The skills you learn are designed to test you as a leader at any rank. Policing was an alien environment to me and so the training sometimes tested me to my limits. Once I had completed the training though, I surprised myself at how much I could learn. Even now, I remember sitting there in my white shirt and clip-on tie, undertaking practice scenarios and receiving such encouragement from my fellow trainee officers. The fact that this encouragement from colleagues has continued throughout my career and we all support one another to push ourselves and succeed, is something that you wouldn't find elsewhere.

I have worked as a uniformed Constable which has seen me patrolling the streets of Hertfordshire on foot and responding to 999 emergencies on ‘blues and twos'. I have also worked in various specialist plain clothes units. My time in those units, which focused on proactive policing (such as executing warrants), were really fun and exciting. Looking back, memorable moments have included swimming through a river and catching a burglar who had run off after breaking into someone's house. Another memory that stands out is stacking up against a wall with my whole team at 4am in full tactical uniform waiting to go through a drug dealer's door and execute a warrant! Having got it all out of my system, I turned my attention to becoming a Sergeant. This was a role I thoroughly enjoyed and leading teams of Constables through incidents, investigations and operations was extremely rewarding. To push myself further, I went through the challenging but equally rewarding Inspectors' promotion process. Now I can focus on leadership and share my experience and knowledge with those Constables walking out of training school who are about to go on the journey I went through all those years ago.

I love targeting career criminals who make a huge impact on the lives of the public. I enjoy bringing to justice those who feel they can evade the police. There are so many roles in the police and it really is true that no day is the same. As I have progressed into a leadership role, I now enjoy seeing those feelings of success reflected in the eyes of my teams who work very hard.

The public are, on the whole, supportive of the police but what you have to remember about this job is you see the public at their lowest, their weakest and their most vulnerable. At those moments, you are all they have to look to and the satisfaction of doing justice for those people is worth the long days and hard work it takes.

No other career compares to the training and the experiences you find yourself in. It is a hugely demanding, responsible and challenging career, but it's equally hugely rewarding, satisfying and meaningful.