Identity, resilience, and a deep sense of purpose
Friday 2nd May 2025
The fourth cohort of officers on Police Now’s two-year National Detective Programme marked their graduation milestone today, with almost 300 Police Now officers, friends and family members attending the graduation ceremony.
Addressing her fellow graduating officers, Detective Constable Tia McEwen-Mason of Hertfordshire Constabulary reflected on the impact she has made over the last two-years, her passion for building public trust and confidence in policing, and her journey so far.
Detective Constable Tia McEwen-Mason’s graduation speech:
“I would like to start by saying welcome everybody – friends, family, colleagues – and a huge congratulations to everyone graduating Police Now’s National Detective Programme today.
“Sometimes I can’t believe this time two years ago, we were all starting our journeys at Police Now’s training academy. The past two years have been intense – emotionally, physically, mentally – but it really has all been worth it, and so much fun.
“I don’t have a ‘when I was five, I put on a police costume and that was the moment I knew I wanted to be a police officer’ story, but I knew I needed a career that was fulfilling. Something I would enjoy and that wouldn’t feel like ‘work’. And lucky me, that’s exactly what I got.
“Today, I wanted to talk to you about an investigation which has impacted me the most or to reflect on my proudest moment in policing so far – but there were just too many to pick from. So instead, I’m going to talk about a case which, to me, best encompasses the work that detectives do.
“Whilst on the programme, I investigated a particularly violent drug-related incident, when a man was attacked and seriously injured by seven other men, all wearing balaclavas or hoods covering their faces.
“The incident was caught on CCTV, but the men were unidentifiable. However, through hours of CCTV trawling, I was able to track the suspects back to their home addresses. Pictures from this CCTV footage allowed us to cross-reference the Police National Database and liaise with officers in another force to corroborate the names we had and gather further intelligence. This led to us attending six addresses with our uniformed officers to make arrests. The houses were searched, and we seized phones, weapons, and clothes – which we identified as the same clothes worn during the attack.
“The victim, who thankfully survived the awful attack, was initially very distrusting of the police and unwilling to speak to me or my colleagues. Alongside our tactical investigation, I spent time supporting him and building a rapport. By the end of the investigation, he thanked me for my work – which may sound small, but it meant a lot.
“I give you this example to show how I was able to utilise different agencies, policing tactics, intelligence, and resourcing to find suspects – as well as engage with a victim and build their trust in the police. That’s what we all do, every day, and we should be proud of our work.
“I would love to stand here and say how perfect my journey to becoming a detective has been, but the truth is, it has been challenging. But on my difficult days, Police Now has always encouraged me to think back to my ‘why’, my motivation for being here.
“One of my main motivations and goals is to build public trust in policing – especially amongst young people and minority groups who often feel discriminated against. I want to be seen as a police officer people are comfortable to be around, someone relatable and trustworthy.
“Today, I stand here not just as a newly graduated Police Now officer, but as a proud member of my community who made it through two years of challenge, learning, and growth. I stand on the shoulders of those who paved the way, and I plan to leave the door open wide behind me. I hope with my background, my culture and my life experiences, I can be a police officer to be looked up to. It has been so interesting finding my niche and my way of policing, which has allowed me to try and bridge that gap between the public and policing.
“Our ‘whys’ – our motivations for being here – are very personal to us all, but it’s the foundation of why we do what we do. I know I’m where I’m meant to be. Today, I’m not just celebrating a professional milestone. I’m celebrating a personal journey that’s been shaped by identity, resilience, and a deep sense of purpose.
“Congratulations to you all, you should all be so proud of yourselves. I know I could be looking at future inspectors or chief constables in this room, your opportunities are endless.
“I wish you all the best for the future, and extend a big thank you to all of our friends and family who have been behind us 100%, making sacrifices and supporting us through the last two years.”
