Meet the officer representing GB Police in volleyball

8th September, 2026

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When most people think about policing, competing in national sports tournaments probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind.

But for Police Constable Julia Robak, volleyball has become an unexpected and rewarding part of her policing journey, helping her build friendships, represent the police service on a national stage and achieve sporting success alongside her role in London’s communities. Julia, who has recently completed Police Now’s national graduate programme, has been playing volleyball since she was 11 years old.

After joining the Metropolitan Police Service as a neighbourhood officer, Julia became involved in the force’s volleyball team and quickly discovered opportunities she hadn’t known existed before entering policing.

In September 2025, she represented the Met at the Police Sport UK (PSUK) national volleyball tournament. The team finished as runners-up, while Julia’s efforts earned her the Met’s Most Valuable Player award.

That achievement opened another door.

“I was invited to the GB Police team off the back of that,” Julia explained. “I had to go through a selection process in February 2026 and was successful.”

Since then, Julia has represented GB Police in several prestigious competitions. In June, she competed in the Crown Services Indoor Volleyball Tournament, where police teams faced opponents from across the armed forces and wider public services, including the Army, Royal Navy, RAF and Prison Service.

The GB Police Women’s Team secured gold, while the men’s and mixed teams both won silver medals.

“It was a great feeling beating the other services,” said Julia. “They obviously have a lot more opportunities to train and prepare physically, so it was a really proud moment for us.”

Just a month later, she represented GB Police again at the first-ever Crown Services beach volleyball tournament, helping her team claim another silver medal.

While the medals have been a highlight, Julia says the social side of police sport has been equally valuable.

“It’s really fun because you get to meet loads of great people,” she said. “There’s a lot of social time around the tournaments and events too.”

For Julia, who moved to London in 2022 before joining the Met, those connections have been especially important.

“I didn’t know many people when I moved here. I grew up in Poland and went to university in Scotland, so volleyball has been a huge part of building a new support network and social circle in London.”

Julia’s story highlights the breadth of opportunities available within policing beyond day-to-day frontline work.

“I didn’t know this was something I could get involved in before joining,” she said. “There are loads of sports across the Met and it’s a really great part of policing.”

Away from the court, Julia is already looking ahead to the next stage of her career.

“I’m currently preparing to sit the National Investigators’ Examination as I work towards becoming a detective. My time in neighbourhood policing has given me invaluable frontline experience and the chance to develop the investigative skills I enjoy most, from interviewing witnesses to gathering statements and building cases – skills I know will make me a better detective.”

Julia also supports cyber and economic crime initiatives in her area, helping to raise awareness among both colleagues and members of the public about a subject she is particularly passionate about.

Looking ahead, Julia hopes to continue representing GB Police.

“There are opportunities like the European Police Championships and the World Police and Fire Games, which take place every two years. Funding can be a challenge, particularly for some of the bigger competitions, but I’d love to explore fundraising opportunities and help more officers get involved in the future. Watch this space!”