Policing with Pride: building trust and empowering communities

“My journey into policing began when I was 37, leaving behind roles in marketing and copywriting. I joined Greater Manchester Police (GMP) through the neighbourhood specialism of Police Now’s National Graduate Programme because I am passionate about creating and building positive, inclusive communities. I saw neighbourhood policing as the perfect way to do this and I valued Police Now’s ethos, which focused on really making a difference in policing and communities.

“I did not let the fact that I am a career-changer and a member of the LGBTQ+ community stop me from joining policing. I have always been a big believer in being myself, pushing forward and challenging any negativity around that. And my experience since joining policing has largely been very positive. I thought I might be the oldest at Police Now’s academy but there was a really diverse mix of people there, working towards the same goal. At both Police Now and at GMP I’ve worked with incredible colleagues. I think policing is often a lot more inclusive than people sometimes think.

“If I ever do hear any comments that I think need calling out, in any part of my life, I have the confidence to do that. I know not everyone does have that confidence, so I will always speak out and support anyone who needs it. I try to role model being an upstander, not a bystander, and I encourage everyone else to do the same – to build inclusive teams in policing and in our communities. This is something Police Now particularly nurtures and encourages in its officers, through its values, its training, and its dedicated coaching.

“I have always been passionate about creating inclusive cultures and building strong communities, and neighbourhood policing allows me to do this. About a year ago, I saw that a café in Oldham wanted to start a regular monthly space for LGBTQ+ people to come together. I offered to come as a police representative, to give advice to anyone who may need it and to build real connections with the local community. I spoke to someone who said they were very anti-police, and didn’t talk to any police officers if they could help it. But by the end of our conversations, they said they didn’t mind speaking to me, that I seemed like a good person. It was just taking the time to really listen and understand their perspective, to build that connection and break down barriers. Building rapport with just one member of the community can make such a difference.

“In my spare time, I founded an LGBTQ+ badminton club. I wanted to create an inclusive space for LGBTQ+ individuals to get involved with sports – which historically has not always been easy – and to challenge the notion that it’s hard for adults to start new hobbies. It started with just a handful of people and has grown now to over 100+ members. It’s something I founded before becoming a police officer, but I have continued to do alongside my frontline role; for me it’s about supporting communities in all aspects of my life. I recently hosted an open day for LGBTQ+ public service members – across the police, NHS, Fire & Rescue services – to visit the club and try their hand at badminton and come together to support and socialise with one another more widely.

“I have had the chance to lead some other impactful community projects across my neighbourhood too, including the ‘mini police’ project in Oldham. This initiative sees officers working with primary school students to educate young people on the consequences of crime, run community events and crime-prevention projects, and start building those positive policing relationships from an early age. Police Now’s training structure gave me the time and space to really drive focus on this project, so I could make an impact for the community. I’ve delivered inputs on hate crime, knife crime, road safety, bullying and anti-social behaviour and we’ve led a multi-agency project to clear up the local park with students. It’s been fantastic and we’re looking at expanding to further schools across the region.

“My advice to anyone is to always be true to yourself and your identity. Act with authenticity and determination, have the confidence to stand up for yourself and for others. Change happens when we all come together and work for it. And if you’re thinking about bringing your experience and expertise into policing – definitely consider Police Now’s neighbourhood programme, you can make a real difference.”