Claire Butcher - Communication officer controller
In my previous job, I was a banking consultant, and was quickly coming to realise banking was moving forward and leaving its humans behind. More of my job was being taken over by computers and I needed to get off the ship before it sank.
It was my mother-in-law who told me NYP was recruiting and I saw it as an opportunity to get out of banking. I wasn’t entirely sure what I was applying for truth be told. I’ve never had a lifelong dream to be part of the police service, but there I was, having my medical, chunk of hair hacked off and pee sample warm in hand, thinking what on earth have I applied for?
Since that day I’ve never looked back. From day one in the classroom, wondering how I’m going to grow another pair of eyes so I can look at three computer screens and at the same time be let loose on the public. I’ve enjoyed every step of the journey – just as much as my dad enjoys calling me ‘Officer Dibble’.
The training was like no other. When I saw how long the it was, I started to hyperventilate and flashbacks of being sent out of the classroom in school because I wasn’t listening came flooding back. Five weeks of classroom training?!!!
With the attention span of a goldfish, I was convinced I wouldn’t make it, but I found myself at the end of the week looking forward to coming back! This was not sit and listen to a trainer drone on about training, this was ‘get stuck in’ training, and I loved it!
Half way through I was introduced to my tutor, who, after finishing in the classroom, I would spend the next ten weeks with. Being a bit like Marmite, I was worried we wouldn’t get on, but this wasn’t the case. Julia has been the best tutor.
It’s now my first set of shifts going solo. Security blanket is gone. Stabilisers have been removed. Big girl pants are on. And I am ready to go! I only have my amazing tutor, Julia to thank for this. Her help, encouragement and support over the last ten weeks have given me the confidence to deal with calls on my own. I’ve been taken under the ‘Band One’ wing, and belong to a great team.
Coming from the world of banking, I thought I had heard it all from the public. Clearly not. ‘Communications and Crime Recording Officer’ simply doesn’t cover it. It should be ‘Communications, Crime Recording, Marriage Councillor, Therapist and Occasional Mind Reading Officer’.
There is no amount of preparation you can do to get you ready for what the public will say. You’ve simply got to say your opening line and brace. But with top systems on my side, powers of Google and a great team supporting me, the palm sweats have stopped.
Like the rest of my colleagues you develop radar-ears and tune into your colleagues without even thinking about it. I’ve never been left to struggle. If I’m taking a job that needs an ambulance or further assistance, without pausing for breathe another team member has heard it and already making the call.
Whatever reservations, doubts or insecurities I had at the start have vanished. I’ve settled into the Force Control Room like I was always supposed to be here.