Tell us about yourself

I have been a Special Constable within the Metropolitan Special Constabulary for 13 years. Part of the Chief Officer Group, I am a Special Assistant Chief Officer with portfolio responsibility for specialisms and pan-London operations.

Supported by the College of Policing, I am conducting doctoral research in policing, crime and security; more specifically, sociology within policing and the use of volunteers within the UK policing context. I’m primarily a qualitative researcher and part of the Met’s Research and Evidence-based Policing Group, providing insight to colleagues for innovative projects and collaborations with universities and academic institutes. I also sit on the University of West London’s Research and Impact Committee, overseeing the development and implement of research strategies, the impact it is having and ensuring standards are maintained to the highest level.

I am a trustee and Vice-Chair of the Association of Special Constabulary Officers (ASCO), the membership body for all volunteer police officers across the UK, leading the recently formed academic research network. I also recently became a Fellow of the Police Foundation, the UK’s only policing think-tank.

Previously, I was an Independent Panel Member of the Thames Valley Police and Crime Panel, scrutinising the Police and Crime Commissioner and their Deputy, their strategic plans and annual budgets.

Why did you want to become a Research Affiliate?

Firstly, I am a researcher in contemporary policing; and I believe that not only this, but also my neurodiversity and life experience can bring knowledge and new thinking to the research agenda.

Secondly, I have been an operational officer for 13 years, serving in numerous teams across challenging parts of London; I am now a senior leader and have been for the past five years.

I am passionate about using my experience from within my practice to achieve a lasting impact, not just nationally but internationally too. My research has the potential to change UK policing in a way not seen for several decades and has enabled me to start writing articles for a variety of academic journals, both UK-based and international in scope. I believe my research findings and wider work could be useful to the Centre and its aims.

How does your research connect to the Centre’s mission and values?

In my day job, I am head of communications for a health and social care think-tank that focuses on mental health, adult social care and the wider determinants of health. Other previous organisations I have worked for include the charities Turning Point and Centrepoint, both working in the space of supporting those most vulnerable as a result of substance misuse, mental health issue, learning disabilities, family breakdown or homelessness. I have been able to use my first-hand policing experience along with my research to comment on the intersection of policing mental health, the recent introduction of the Right Care, Right Person model and ways to support some of the most vulnerable in society. I believe I have a relatively unique position in being to provide a perspective on policing and mental health from a number of angles.

My research is exploring the sociology of those that choose to police and volunteer to do so, the culture they are immersed in and how this will need to change in the coming years to best support communities, victims of crime and vulnerable people as crime types evolve.

As a researcher and police officer, or a so-called ‘Pracademic’, I have the same values as the Centre. The open and ethical nature of research is imperative, alongside the need for it to collaborative and solution-focused. My honesty and integrity as a public servant are absolute and my leadership is inclusive, embracing diversity and openness to challenge.