On Duty With… Deputy Disclosure Officer, Steven Morris

Tell us a little bit about what you do:

I currently process all of the Freedom of Information requests that are received by the force. This involves liaising with a wide range of departments to answer questions members of the public, MPs and the media have asked under the FOIA legislation.

I am also responsible for assessing applications from members of the public who would like to have their criminal records deleted from the Police National Computer. Finally I help my colleagues in the Data Protection Department handle the complex queries that come our way!

What’s the best bit about what you do?

Due to the wide variety of Freedom of Information requests we receive, I get to learn a lot about the work of other departments.  No day is ever the same as I can go from one request that is about speeding statistics to another that is about a high profile investigation. It is this variety that makes the role really enjoyable.

What do you find challenging with your role?

Most people in the force think that Freedom of Information is optional and there is no legal basis behind it. They don’t tend to realise that we have a legal duty to respond within a set 20 working days. 

Describe yourself in three words:

Ambitious, Funny and Positive!

What book is on your bedroom table?

I have just finished Avenger of Rome by Douglas Jackson.

What’s your favourite film?

It has to be Kingdom of Heaven. It’s probably the most underrated film ever!

What’s your best Police memory?

Last year I helped a mother get her son’s criminal record clear. The record was hindering her son from ever obtaining a job for which he had overcome quite a lot in his personal life to become qualified for. A lot of effort went into dealing with her application from a number of departments. I was happy that I could help her and the right result was definitely achieved.

If you could do any other role in the Police, what would it be?

I would love to become an investigator in the Anti Corruption Unit as the work they do is extremely important and would definitely be interesting. Failing that I think I would really enjoy being an officer working on the beat.

What’s the first thing you do when you get to work?

Check my emails and then work out my ‘To do List’ for the day.

If you could put right one myth about your role or the Police what would it be?

I touched upon this earlier but there seems to be a myth that Freedom of Information is optional and doesn’t need to be taken seriously. It does! It’s potentially a criminal offence if we don’t respond

On Duty With… Hayley Peacher, Police Support Volunteer Coordinator

Tell us a little bit about what you do:

I currently am the Police Support Volunteer coordinator for the City Centre police station taking on such duties as community consultations and staffing partnership events. As a volunteer I also arrange and conduct the city BCU (Basic Command Unit) PSV (Police Support Volunteer) interviews along side a Sergeant. When a candidate is successful I then help to introduce them into the role of PSV.

What’s the best bit about what you do?

Being part of a team, working along side some of the friendliest people I have ever met.

Meeting people that I never would have met and having the opportunity to be involved in projects that truly make difference.

What do you find challenging with your role?

Scheduling my time to get the best out of my self and the volunteering team at Mansfield House.

Describe yourself in three words:

Honest, loyal and hard-working.

What book is on your bedroom table?

Blackstone’s General Policing Duties.

What’s your favourite film?

Jaws.

What’s your best Police memory?

It would have to be a consultation survey that I did: I called upon an address to find an elderly gentleman crying; his wife had not long passed away. I sat talking with him for around an hour. He told me all about his life with her and their final days together. I must say it left me with a heavy heart and a tear in my eye. I really feel I made him feel a little bit better and I now try to visit him when I am in that area. The best survey I have ever done. He only had nice things to say about city centre policing and asked that we keep up the good work.

If you could do any other role in the Police, what would it be?

I would love to be a police officer working with vulnerable victims.

What’s the first thing you do when you get to work?

Check my emails and say hi to everyone.

If you could put right one myth about your role or the Police what would it be?

Some people see volunteers to be incapable of taking on the more important tasks, that we may be unreliable and need babysitting, this is not true!

On Duty With… Laura Saunders, Equality Officer

Tell us a little bit about what you do:
I am an Equality Officer and have responsibility for the areas of race, religion and belief, sexual orientation, transgender, marriage and civil partnership.  Part of my role is to benchmark our policies and practices to measure our commitment to these areas of equality.  I work with colleagues within the organisation and external partners to raise awareness and look at how we can improve things.  I deliver diversity inputs to staff joining the organisation and give advice about completing equality impact assessments.

What’s the best bit about what you do?
Raising awareness of issues that affect minority groups and helping to make a difference to their working environment.

What do you find challenging with your role?
That this area of work is so vast, there is always lots to keep me busy and I constantly have to re prioritise my work to keep up with emerging issues and things that happen.

Describe yourself in three words:
Resilient, organised, content

What book is on your bedroom table?
Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella

What’s your favourite film?
Serendipity

What’s your best Police memory?
My “Passing Out Parade” at Bruche where you marched in a parade before you came back to the force to become an operational officer – I was in the last cohort to train there before it closed.

If you could do any other role in the Police, what would it be?
Kennel Assistant in the dog section!

If you could put right one myth about your role or the Police what would it be?
That equality issues are just for the equality unit to deal with, in reality everyone has a part to play and can make a difference.

On Duty With… Calum Loades, Police Volunteer

Tell us a little bit about what you do
I’m a police support volunteer working predominantly in Blaby District. I work as a part of a National Award winning group. We do a variety of tasks on behalf of Blaby LPU and Blaby District Council. These include fitting Memocams, which is installing surveillance cameras in properties, visiting victims of crime, setting up No Cold Calling Zones (NCCZs) and selling security aids including SmartWater.

What’s the best bit about what you do?
I most enjoy helping victims of crime to be more security aware, and to see that after our visit, they feel more reassured in themselves as well as being more security conscious.

What do you find challenging with your role?
Trying to fit everything around college studies and other community work.

Describe yourself in three words:
Patient, approachable and determined.

What book is on your bedroom table?
The book that is on my bedside table is a book that the Chief Constable continually recommends, Blue Blood by Edward Conlon.

What’s your favourite film?
I love anything action or comedy but my favourite film(s) has to be Police Academy.

What’s your best Police memory?
Doing my first visit to a crime victim and to see them feel more reassured and uplifted after we had finished. After that visit we received a hand written letter from the lady we visited.

If you could do any other role in the Police, what would it be?
I would join as a police officer which I plan to do after my studies.

What’s the first thing you do when you get to work?
If I’m in an office I check the news and get my emails. If I’m going out to do a job, I will meet other volunteers at Blaby LPU and prepare the kit to go.

If you could put right one myth about your role or the Police what would it be?
As a volunteer you can put as many or as little hours as you would like in to it.

On duty with… PCSO of the year, Allan Charles

Tell us a little bit about what you do
I am one of the visible faces and point of contact on the beat in New Parks. I deal with low level crime, assist my police colleagues with incidents and attend neighbourhood meetings.

What’s the best bit about what you do?
Making a positive impact on the people who live in the area. Whether it’s visiting victims of crime and offering reassurance or visiting community centre meetings and enjoying a cuppa with the elderly community.

What do you find challenging with your role?
As I have a huge amount of pride for my role, my team and the community, I take it really personally and find it a challenge if a spike of crime occurs in the neighbourhood.  Being a proactive PCSO, I undertake many visits to people to ascertain as much information as possible in order to tackle the problems and prevent further victims of crime.  More often than not, this results in my duties being changed at short notice, but I’m happy to accommodate this in order to find the cause of the crime.

Describe yourself in three words
‘Sporty’, I like to play football with the kids on the estate, ‘fair’, I was recently told that by a member of the public and ‘approachable’.

What book is on your bedroom table?
I don’t generally read books, but do read the local paper.

What’s your favourite film?
Bad Boys is my favourite.  It’s a police action film starring Will Smith, who is one of the world’s best actors.

What’s your best Police memory?
Two spring to mind, firstly, I came across elderly lady who had fallen over and I waited with her until the ambulance arrived to assist.  A short while after, I visited her to make sure that she was okay and she wrote in to say thank you.  It’s really nice when I make the time to do things like that.

The second was an incident where a call was received from a mother who had concern for her son who was diabetic.  A colleague and I forced the door and found the man in a very poor state and immediately called for ambulance assistance.  A few weeks later I was patrolling the beat and saw the man, who thanked me for saving his life. Its things like that that really make a difference.

If you could do any other role in the Police, what would it be?
I’d love to work in the Dog Unit.  I’ve always been brought up having dogs in the family, so I feel that I would find it the most rewarding section to be part of.  I hope to join the unit in the future.

What’s the first thing you do when you get to work?
I book on and check the latest crime and intelligence to find out about what’s going on the beat.

If you could put right one myth about your role or the Police what would it be?
That we don’t sit around drinking tea and eating donuts in the station – I wish we had time to do that!

On Duty with… Detective Chief Inspector Rich Ward

Tell us a little bit about what you do:
I have responsibility for the daily management of crime across Leicestershire and Rutland and I am also the force lead for burglary, so I have to make sure we continue to reduce house burglaries.

What’s the best bit about what you do?
I am very passionate about investigating crime so I absolutely love what I do.  I have the opportunity to make a real difference in respect of how we tackle crime and criminality across the county which is very rewarding especially when we get the result and you see the reduction in crime and benefit for our local communities.

What do you find challenging with your role?
Continuing to reduce crime year on year is extremely challenging however this motivates me even more.

Describe yourself in three words:
Determined, resourceful and fair.

What book is on your bedroom table?
The Art of Being Brilliant

What’s your favourite film?
Anchor man and Heat.

What’s your best Police memory?
Being told that I had passed my assessment day for the police and being offered the job.

If you could do any other role in the Police, what would it be?
I would love to have worked within the Road Policing Unit as a Traffic Officer.

What’s the first thing you do when you get to work?
Check the overnight crime and ensure we have taken immediate opportunities to identify and arrest suspects and then plan and prepare the daily crime management meeting with the nine Local Policing Units.

If you could put right one myth about your role or the Police what would it be?
That police officers sit around waiting for the next incident to be reported. Police officers have very diverse and difficult roles to fulfil and they have to balance so many competing demands for their time.

 

On Duty with… PCSO Bryan Johnson

Tell us a little bit about what you do:
I am a Professional Development Officer/PCSO Co-ordinator working within the Counties Professional Development Unit (PDU). My role is to plan, liaise with, direct and support the PCSO student officers through their one year training programme in consolation with De Montfort University, the Learning and Development department, and also through contact with PCSO student officers, practice tutors, supervisors, PDU managers and De Montfort University. I also help to identify and facilitate development needs, including knowledge and skills. I monitor the PCSO student officers’ performance, community engagements and other operational activities in line with neighborhood policing.

I co-ordinate and assist in the assessment of PCSO student officers and provide advice on policy and operational matters relating to the PCSO role, assist with PCSO recruitment, monitor the deployment of student officers, and ensure that risk assessments are completed for community engagement. I’m also involved in the preparation and planning of traffic management issues in relation to major events and deployment and supervision of personnel engaged with the event.

What’s the best bit about what you do?
Seeing new PCSO students join the Force and be a part of their development which includes going out on patrol with them, giving advice when needed and helping to develop them through the qualification process.

What do you find challenging with your role?
Sorting out tutors, shifts, etc when we get new PCSO students. But I do enjoy the challenge.

Describe yourself in three words:
Professional, approachable, organised

What book is on your bedroom table?
Camera books

What’s your favourite film?
Zulu

What’s your best Police memory?
Being told I got the job

If you could do any other role in the Police, what would it be?
Operations planning which involves planning for major events, giving advice on traffic issues, planning staff and locating them to traffic points such as Caribbean Carnival, sorting out staff for traffic duties for events such as Diwali

What’s the first thing you do when you get to work?
Get a cup of tea

If you could put right one myth about your role or the Police what would it be?
We are all professional and work hard

On Duty With… LSTO Madi Vaja

Tell us a bit about what you do?
I work in the front enquiry office at Mansfield House police station, and have been an officer since 2007. I deal with a variety of enquiries like lost property, crime reports, and deal with general matters like giving directions to motorists or advice about problems. There’s always someone to help me if I don’t know the answer to a question or problem.

What’s the best bit about what you do?
I get real pleasure helping people. I like sorting out problems for people and putting a smile back on their face. I also think some people stereotype the police service and it’s really satisfying to give good service to someone and know I’ve changed their opinion for the better.

What do you find challenging with your role?
Dealing with argumentative or difficult people is a real challenge. I pride myself on keeping calm and professional in spite of sometimes aggressively unpleasant people. I’m always polite and friendly.

Describe yourself in three words?
Confident, caring and happy.

What book is on your bedside table?
The autobiography of Scott Mills, a Radio 1 DJ.

What’s your favourite movie?
The Green Mile. It always makes me cry.

What’s your best police memory?
My best memory is helping a young woman who was stranded in Leicester. I helped her catch the train back to her home in Grimsby, and have stayed in touch with her. We’re now good friends.

What’s the first thing you do when you get to work?
I always check my emails, and have a cup of tea.

If you could do any other role in the Police, what would it be?  
I would like to work in the Dog Section, either as a police handler, or some other role.

If you could put one myth right about your role, or the police, what would it be?
I think some people believe we don’t have much to do in the front enquiry office, but the truth is we are usually very busy. It’s an important role because we are often the first point of contact for the public.

On Duty with… Chief Inspector Jon Brown

Tell us a bit about what you do?
I am part of the City Senior Management Team responsible for safeguarding issues in the city area, but have Forcewide responsibilities for domestic violence and the Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements unit (MAPPA). The MAPPA team manage convicted sex offenders and other dangerous people within the community, a very challenging role.

What’s the best bit about what you do?
The best bit about what I do is to improve the police response to domestic violence, target repeat offenders and work with partner agencies to ensure victims of domestic abuse have access to the right services that they need.

What do you find challenging with your role?
Getting the balance between attending the right meetings, yet at the same time, being able to be seen working in the city, as well as across the Force area.

Describe yourself in three words?
Happy, fair and diligent.

What book is on your bedside table?
“Mad Dog”, by Lewis Moody.

What’s your favourite movie?  
I recently saw Skyfall, the latest Bond film, and loved it but my favourite film is Midnight Express.

What’s your best police memory?
Being given the opportunity to be an LPU Commander at Blaby local policing unit, being able to influence the staff, partners and members of the community.

What’s the first thing you do when you get to work?
I start work whilst at home eating breakfast. I check my Blackberry to view crime and overnight incidents so by the time I get to the office its tea no sugar time!

If you could do any other role in the Police, what would it be?
I was never a beat officer, and I would have relished the opportunity of working a challenging beat in the City.

If you could put right one myth about your role, or the police, what would it be?
The police are allowed to speed in police cars! Whilst an OCI, I was caught on a speed camera in a marked police car, had to pay a fine and attended a speed awareness course.

 

On Duty With… Angela Atton, Abnormal Loads Officer

Tell us a little bit about what you do:

I administer the movement of Abnormal Loads through Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland using the Construction & Use Regulations and Special Types General Orders.  I use nationally agreed criteria and local knowledge to decide if the load requires an escort (self or police) or re-route on all or part of the route to keep congestion to a minimum.  Some loads have enormous dimensions measuring up to 6 metres wide, 75 m long or over 350 tonnes.  Those moving agricultural machinery or certain criteria also have to notify me.

What’s the best bit about what you do?
I enjoy communicating with members of the haulage companies to assist with any problems or issues they may have with their abnormal load moves.

What do you find challenging with your role?
I found it challenging last year when the first wind farm was erected in Leicestershire.  The original agreed route had to be changed due to railway bridge works at Whetstone being incomplete, so some loads had to travel through Narborough and Broughton Astley.  The blades had to be rescheduled for when these works were complete.  I had to liaise with Leicestershire Council, those in charge of the wind farm, network rail reps, the haulage company moving the loads and I had to set up the Roads Policing Unit motorcyclists required to provide a Police escort.  Thirty three loads were moved in total.

Describe yourself in three words:
Honest, helpful and friendly.

What book is on your bedroom table?
T is for Trespass, by Sue Grafton.  I enjoy reading detective fictions.

What’s your favourite film?
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.  Although I haven’t watched it lately I have the DVD at home.

What’s your best Police memory?
One police memory is when I was in company with Roads Policing Unit officers when escorting a very large (transformer) abnormal load through a village where it broke down and many of the villagers were out watching and asking questions.

If you could do any other role in the Police, what would it be?
I don’t know what other role I would like to do as I do enjoy the role I’m in now.

What’s the first thing you do when you get to work?
Turn on my computer and see how many email/faxes are waiting for me to read and action.  I receive on average between 80 and 100 each day.

If you could put right one myth about your role or the Police what would it be?
The myth I would  want to put right is that some people think the Highways Agencies deal with abnormal loads rather than the Police.