Other Specialist Roles

I oversee the heritage strategy for West Midlands Police. This means looking after our museum and setting the objectives for income generation, our activities, collaborations and how we ensure we are supporting operational policing.

I try to ensure we are embedded within West Midlands Police, from giving new officers an input on our history and tour of the museum, to getting Police Community Support Officers to spread the word about us to local schools and families. We need to constantly market the museum to ensure our officers and staff know to send kit and equipment that is redundant or being phased out, and that retired officers or descendants of police officers know that we are here and would love to give their photos, stories and memorabilia a good home!

I have a team of five and between us we oversee general opening, looking after our huge volunteer team and our collection, run events and an education programme and bring the history of policing the West Midlands to as many people as possible!

I also look after the NPCC Heritage Portfolio on behalf of WMP's Commercial Director Pete Gillett who is the National Lead for Police Heritage.

I love getting the chance to share policing history with people, and to use it to build trust and confidence in policing. I really enjoy the variety of things I get to get involved in, and how many people I get to meet. I particularly enjoy spending time with our amazing volunteers, which the museum would not succeed without! These people give up so much of their time to support us and it is genuinely interesting to hear their stories and why they volunteer. I'm particularly fond of our retired officer volunteers and enjoy hearing about their experiences, which in turn helps me to be better at my job when people ask me questions about policing and how things have changed.

I was the records manager from 2007 to 2015, and had an interest in our historic records and what happens to them. I started volunteering with the museum in 2014 and when on secondment with HR that year I started to look at how the museum's historic personnel records could be digitised and indexed.

When I moved to Estates in 2015, at the same time it was announced the museum would need to find a new location as the station it was in was going to be sold. I therefore had the responsibility of finding the new home and writing the business case to document it's requirements. I started work on a Heritage Lottery Fund bid to secure the money to convert a former Lock-up and eventually the Chief Constable asked me to work on it full-time on secondment. My secondment lasted three years, and by the time it concluded we had just created the permanent Heritage Manager role to set up and run the new museum and I was successful in my application to this job.

I am most proud of how far we have come, from when I started volunteering in 2014, to researching new homes for the museum from 2015 to 2017, to working on the lottery bid between 2017 and 2020. Once we had gotten the yes from the Lottery, there was a lot more hard work to do, but at least it was definitely going to happen. The hard work that the team and I put in from 2017 to 2020, when there was no guarantee that there was even going to be a museum if we didn't secure the funding, was fundamental and ensured our eventual success. It has been an absolute labour of love and something I feel privileged to be involved in, but I'm also very proud of what we have all achieved to get us to this point.

My role at West Mercia Police involves co-ordinating training for Armed Response Vehicle Officers (ARVOs), Commanders and Taser officers - ensuring that nobody goes out of date with their mandatory training and being a point of contact for students and instructors.

I am also the Chronicle Systems Administrator. This system governs who can take weapons out of the armouries and who is authorised to carry out their relevant roles. The force has to be complaint with the College of Policing guidelines and Chronicle plays an important part with this. All ARVO's. Commanders and STO's have a profile on the system, and it is my responsibility to ensure that all training is captured on the system to ensure officers have the correct access 24/7.

The Essex Police Prevent and Protect team have a dedicated member of staff who are subject matter expert in the fields of cyber.

In the team we have three fraud coordinators supporting victims of fraud, organised crime groups, and Mental Health Support Teams.

They work collaboratively with partner agencies, communities and other forces with regards standard operating procedures, as well as best practice. After all, fraud and cybercrime cannot survive without the other.

Cyber domestic forms part of the controlling coercive behaviour, and we forget about cyber in domestic situations.

They are a county wide resource and have access to different tools that can be shared with others to deliver in a way that means they are standardised in our approach.

The best thing about my role is talking to the public and making them aware that their Facebook could be disrupted if they do not take simple step to protect themselves and their other social media accounts.

I joined Essex Police working in vehicle services, then FCR in Braintree, Colchester service desk, in Witham as a PCSO for nearly 13 years, the Crime Bureau, Fraud Co-ordinator, then volume fraud investigator at Rayleigh!

Over time, my personal cyber skills have developed and so has my cyber security.

Applying for this role has turned out to be the best job ever, as I get to maintain and improve my skills. It has allowed me to be involved with young people and encourage them to change their behaviour from unethical to ethical and allows me to engage with businesses, local communities, and schools.

I seize every opportunity presented to me.

I work alongside the Branch Secretary at Dorset Police and assist her by reviewing policies and attending various meetings held in force identifying any issues that could adversely affect police Attaf. I am also a steward representing police staff UNISON members at disciplinaries, performance, and attendance support meetings. Another part of my role is as a health and safety rep ensuring that our police staff members have a safe environment to work in.

This role gives me the chance to support police staff UNISON members, who work in a variety of operational front facing and non-operational supporting roles, when they are facing challenges in the workplace.

Whilst I was still working in my substantive role of Detention Officer, I became active in UNISON as a health and safety rep and then a steward. I also trained as a Post Incident Procedure rep to ensure colleagues were protected should the worst happen. In recent months I volunteered and was subsequently elected to the role of Assistant Branch Secretary when the previous holder of the position retired from the force.

I am proud to be a part of UNISON helping police staff members when they are sometimes at a low point on their career. I am also a very proud member of the Dorset Police family and have been so for almost 18 years.

[This information was submitted by a colleague of Megan's at Avon and Somerset Police]

As part of her role, Megan regularly attends events on behalf of Avon and Somerset Police where she provides specific advice for our communities on how to be safe online. At some of these events, Megan was able to meet with the South Gloucestershire cadets and their leaders and was struck by the desire of the cadets to help their communities in any way they could.  

Keen to use the passion of cadets to help others, her own desire to better inform the public of the growing threat of cybercrime and fraud, and the need to increase the reach of her messaging, Megan developed the Junior Protect Officer program from inception to delivery. 

To make the program a success, Megan: 

• Engaged with key stakeholders namely the cadet leaders, the Cyber Team, the outreach team and the Officer of the Police and Crime Commissioner (OPCC) to discuss her idea, and seek support
• Developed a bespoke training package based on the ages of the cadets, identifying key crime types affecting their own age groups, to encourage better ‘digital hygiene’ they could employ themselves, empowering them to feel confident in cascading their learning to their communities
• Encouraged team working amongst the cadets – placing the cadets into small groups to research key cyber and fraud crime types, and consider what advice they would give to victims of these crimes
• Provided feedback on the crime prevention advice given by the cadets, allowing group discussions to flourish, where all participants could encourage one another with the advice they would give to their communities
• Set the cadets challenges to devise their own ‘Protect Initiative’ – a scenario-based workshop where the cadets develop an initiative to deliver messaging to their target audience
• Sought financial support from stakeholders including Avon and Somerset Police and the OPCC whereby all Junior Protect Officers are awarded a certificate and pin badge

Initiatives suggested by the Junior Protect Officers have included YouTube videos discussing the impact of cybercrime, social media campaigns to engage with university students, resources targeting key groups within the communities, workshops for primary school children and a plane flying over Bath University with a large banner behind it! 

Junior Protect Officers have been able to use their skills at community events and pop-up stalls at The Mall, Cribbs Causeway and Taunton Shopping Centre. Since these events have coincided with evenings and weekends, this has resulted in the cadets enhancing the service Avon and Somerset’s Protect Officers already provide to our communities.  

The project has been seen as a success within the Protect network with three other forces and one ROCU (Regional Organised Crime Unit) seeking to deliver this within their own cadet groups.  

Going forward, the project is to be rolled out amongst other groups such as Sea, Air and Army Cadets, along with Scouts Explorers and Girl Guides Rangers. Megan continues to liaise with the cadets to work together further in future and is keen to ensure all future cadets receive the training in future years. 

Police Chaplains provide a confidential listening ear to all who make up the police family, regardless of faith - we are here for people of all faiths and none. Whatever life and work throw, a chaplain is here to listen.

Police Chaplaincy UK (PCUK) is the national professional body for all police chaplains in the UK. We have just under 500 chaplains in the UK working across all forces and my role a Chair of PCUK is to lead the National Board who support the Chaplains. PCUK provides training, policy and guidance to all chaplains in policing. As a Lead Chaplain I'm s full-time police staff member based in Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary (HIOWC). I provide that listening ear to all in the force and I look after a team of volunteer chaplains. In HIOWC we have 22 chaplains from five different faith groups and they are all based in local station and I have the privilege of managing and recruiting them.

If I can make a difference to one officer or staff member then I have done my job. Our police do an amazing job and it’s an honour to support them to look after the public.

During my time at theological college, I was looking for a non-parish placement and I approached the National Association of Chaplains to the Police (now Police Chaplaincy UK) as it sounded interesting and was invited to attend the national training course. Once back in Cornwall as a vicar I was asked to consider using my newfound skills and in 2012 was assigned to Falmouth Police Station as a Volunteer Chaplain and from then on, my love for police chaplaincy grew until I became full time with Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary in 2017, a member of the national board of PCUK in 2018 and Chair in 2022.

My greatest achievement is simply knowing I’ve made a difference and helped someone. Seeing officers and staff feeling lighter after a conversation with me and back at work after a period of illness when I visited is a great privilege. I'm really proud of the way that HIOWC look after the families of bereaved officers and staff and my part in that. With PCUK I’m proud of the organisation and the way we support chaplains to be their best. 

My role is to progress Road Traffic Offences at Dorset Police when there are complications and issues with tracing the registered keeper and/or other persons connected to the vehicle which has been captured on camera. I make risk assessed visits to residential and business addresses within Dorset to talk to suspected offenders and members of the public in person. I also offer guidance to persons who have become victims of identity fraud, and I identify cloned registration plates.

I share identification of these subject vehicles, from the offences committed, to Roads Policing Units (RPUs) UK wide. RPUs can then stop the vehicles and deal appropriately with any other subsequent offences that are disclosed; these can include driving without insurance and driving without a valid licence. This leads to the disruption of organised crime groups concerned with the supply of drugs and other unlawful activities. 

I attend court when required and I liaise with a designated police sergeant within Dorset's own roads policing unit, police staff and officers employed within other police service county areas, and insurance companies. I am one of two fixed penalty enquiry officers working within the Central Ticket Office for Dorset Police.

I enjoy the challenge of progressing Road Traffic offences, and I feel I am making a positive difference by protecting other sensible, law-abiding road users. Central Ticket Office sits within the Dorset Road Safety Department. The aim of this department is to ensure Dorset roads are a safe place to be by lowering the incidents of death and serious injury Road Traffic Collisions.

I have worked for Dorset Police since 1997. I was a Special Constable for a few months before accepting a Detention Officer post. I have worked within the Custody Units of Poole, Bournemouth, and Weymouth as well as occasional shifts at Blandford and Christchurch, which included Prison lockouts, over a nineteen-year period. In 2016 I desired a change of environment with new challenges, and I successfully applied for this post.

[This information was submitted by a colleague of Andy's at Avon and Somerset Police]

Andy Paget’s involvement with Avon and Somerset Police (A&S) began in 1996, when he was invited to serve as volunteer chaplain to Central District at Trinity. Five years later was appointed as Senior Force Chaplain.

Andy enthusiastically leads a team of committed volunteer force chaplains and is responsible for their recruitment, training and ongoing support. Supported by him, the chaplaincy team care for our organisation through unconditional support for all officers, police staff and their families, irrespective of their faith.

The support the chaplains, but especially Andy, provide to staff who have experienced trauma is immeasurable. Andy helps staff navigate the challenging and brutal world they face.

Andy served for over ten years on the national executive board of what is now Police Chaplaincy UK as Southwest Regional Coordinator, and has contributed to the national training team, directly benefiting A&S.

Another part of Andy’s role is responding to major and critical incidents by supporting emergency services and assisting community recovery.

In partnership with the Contingency Planning Department and local resilience forum, Andy coordinates the Faith Communities Response to Declared Major Incidents & Emergencies — a multi-faith, victim-focused support team that has brought together up to 250 volunteers from various faith communities.

Andy receives emergency notifications of ongoing incidents and dials into multi-agency briefings, allowing him to be updated with the type and scale of incident.

Recent incidents have included the evacuation of two high rise blocks in Bristol following fires where Andy’s team assisted during the evacuation and at the rest centres to help support displaced persons.

Other incidents have included response to a fatal explosion, violent disorder and other civil emergencies, where the support of the faith community to those involved as well as the responders has been welcomed by all.

Andy has been personally involved in a huge number of high-profile incidents, far too numerous to name here, but many of which are ingrained on our memories. His calm and reassuring presence is felt by all who meet him. 

Andy has provided care and support to families of murder victims, provided welfare support to frontline officers involved in riots including recently in Bristol. He was there on the night supporting officers as they come away from the frontline. He has supported members of the public who have discovered a body, supported FLOs and briefed major church denominations’ media officers to issue cautionary information.

He deployed the multi-faith response team at evacuation and welfare centres to provide 24/7 support for victims of the 2014 Somerset floods. He has contributed to Crime Investigation Department and Road Policing Unit family liaison officer training, leading sessions on ‘Responding to Bereavement’ and ‘The Impact of Unexpected Violent Death’.

He leads the Remembrance Day service at HQ and, following inception of the Police Memorial Day in 2004, he instigated our own Police Memorial Day service to provide a local and more personal caring focus for our families.

I am the divisional point of contact internally and externally, for missing person issues especially around children. I am responsible for supporting a coordinated police and partner agency response to finding people who go missing and who are subject to exploitation.

I provide a summary of current missing incidents, identify and collate relevant information to inform the risk assessment process of police response, capture risks within missing episodes and make appropriate referral to public protection, social services, or other appropriate agencies.

I attend and represent Sussex Police at multi-agency meetings and to provide police information to assist in the decision making process for safeguarding and being prepared to challenge outside agencies decisions when necessary and ensure protocols and policies are adhered to.

I look at police intelligence on individuals in relation to activities and associates by using Niche reports, intelligence, Single Combined Assessment of Risk Forms, Storm etc, in order to locate missing persons, share data with other agencies when appropriate and to monitor and update the Niche system accordingly.

I enjoy trying to make a real difference and being a part of the missing team. I obtain as much detail as possible around intelligence to do with these young people to try and connect up the pieces to ensure we are doing all we can to protect the most vulnerable youths.

I am very conscientious about my work and ensure I go the extra mile to make the team away of any concerns that have been raised about youths so that everyone is aware. I am frequently working with partner agencies to share concerns about youths that we are working with and ensure these are all recorded on our systems and updated. I ensure the safeguarding element of my work and protecting young people from criminal and sexual exploitation.

I was already working within Sussex Police as a briefing officer, this position came up and I applied. I am very proud that my colleagues internal and external feel they can always come to me to answer any questions they may have about a child. I am also more than happy to help others (partner agencies) if I am able, and I have been told on more than one occasion that I am the cog that keeps everything working within our team.

I enjoy working within the team and try to make a real difference to young people’s lives and safeguard them from any harm. I believe that I regularly go above and beyond as I am so passionate about my role and doing the best I can to work to the highest of standards. 

[Information submitted by a colleague of Daniel's from Surrey Police]

Daniel is the Protect and Prepare Officer for the Surrey Police and Sussex Police Cyber Crime Unit (CCU). He provides bespoke cyber security advice to all individuals and businesses reporting cybercrime regardless of whether there is a line of enquiry. Another key pillar of Daniel’s role is to proactively train our communities and businesses to be cyber resilient to reduce their chance of becoming a victim.

Proactive work and public engagement are the areas Daniel is most passionate about, having conducted over 100 public engagement events throughout 2023 ranging from webinars, Meet the Beat events, high street public engagement, business and community group training presentations, conferences, school and university presentations, and even several radio appearances, including an appearance on BBC Surrey. Daniel strives to make his content accessible and not needlessly technical, so it appeals to a large audience.

Daniel joined Surrey Police in 2018. His father is a retired Metropolitan Police Service Detective Sergeant, but Daniel could not apply to become an officer due to being severely visually impaired, but he still wanted a career in public service. He joined police staff as an IT project management officer and worked in this role for three years.

In 2021, Daniel applied for his current role in CCU, he knew the odds were slim but went for it anyway. However, he got far in the interview process and was offered a volunteer position for CCU and in this time also became a Data Analyst for Corporate Communications as well as a Volunteer Police Cadet Leader. For his voluntary cyber position, Daniel handled around 10 cases a week, providing Cyber Security advice for victims and attending engagement events. When his current role became vacant 18 months later Daniel jumped at the chance and was successful.

Daniel’s experience as a volunteer made all the difference and he recommends people explore the wealth of opportunities available. Daniel credits his time as a VPC Leader with improving his public speaking and leadership skills.

Daniel has spoken to thousands of people about cyber security, with over 400 completing a positive feedback survey stating how much they will enhance their cyber security behaviours. Daniel gets a huge sense of pride knowing that his work safeguards our communities. Daniel's proudest moment was being named Surrey Neighbourhood Watch Officer/Staff of the year 2023 but his happiest achievement was getting engaged in October 2023.