Just a year into his policing career, Police Constable (PC) Jed Taylor has already found himself at the heart of a major incident, helping to protect communities when they need it most.
The 25-year-old, who joined West Midlands Police through Police Now’s National Graduate Programme, was among officers who helped evacuate hundreds of residents during the devastating fires that swept across parts of Stourbridge earlier this year.
Before moving from rural Northern Ireland to Birmingham to begin his policing career, Jed gained experience preparing for emergencies through a volunteer role in major incident planning and response. However, the scale of the Stourbridge fires was unlike anything he had encountered first-hand.
“I’ve never seen anything like it and will never forget it. There were houses we evacuated that were burned down an hour later. It was just horrific and there was so much chaos.
“I also escorted people back to their homes to get medication, through streets that were burned down, and I remember bringing one guy back to collect his wife’s diabetes medication and the house either side of his was burned.
“It was really eerie, like something that had got left behind. You’d go down streets and cars were still there with their windows down, you’d walk into houses where radios were left on and front doors were left open. The scale of it was just unbelievable.”
The fires were just one of several significant incidents Jed has responded to during his first year as a police officer.
In the past six months alone, he has pursued a balaclava-clad teenager carrying a 10-inch zombie-style knife and led a complex criminal damage investigation involving vulnerable victims. Both incidents earned him special recognition from his force.
For Jed, one of the most rewarding aspects of policing is the sense of teamwork that comes with the role.
“The camaraderie you feel with the other officers is really something. During the fires, one lad filled his car with food and brought it out to us and the firefighters.
“We’d been on shift for about 13 hours at that point and everybody was tired, hungry and wanted to go home. But the people you’re with and their ability to put a smile on your face make all the difference at times like that.”
Before joining Police Now, Jed was on a very different career path. Having worked as an embalmer and trained to become an undertaker, policing was not the future he had originally imagined. Looking back on his decision to switch careers, he says he would encourage anyone considering a career in the service to take the plunge.
“I would encourage anyone to join. If you think you want to do it, do it. You’ll only know whether it’s for you when you’re there.
“It’s so varied. That’s what appeals to me most. You can have five different careers and never leave.
“I don’t know what area of work or department I’ll end up in, but I genuinely don’t see myself doing anything else because I enjoy it too much.”
