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"I did feel very vulnerable and scared, going out on the beat during COVID. I knew I was at risk, being over 60, and felt very sad being separated from my 4 children and 3 grandchildren too. But I also really love my job and knew that there were people out there who needed to be seen and helped. It had to be done, so I just got on with it. I've been a PCSO since 2004 and I love it. I'm quite a stickler for following the necessary rules, but now I can put them into context for people, and it's my job to be nosey too. It's so gratifying to be in a position where you can help the people who need it, even those who are pretending they don't. A lot of people put a happy face on, make out they have no issues, and then you delve in a little bit deeper and find out that they do. I also love doing crime prevention sessions with old people, schools, nurseries. I really missed that - and all the biscuits too!
"I sat in the Broadwalk Centre last weekend for a couple of hours and people were coming up and telling me all sorts of things. I just put myself in their place and treat them how I would want to be treated. Some, like the elderly and homeless, just feel invisible, but I get to see them and have a chat, give them directions or talk about local issues. I normally wear my hi-viz, and I'll give people strong words of advice if they're doing things like not wearing their seatbelt, or driving while using their phone. But I'm always polite. We do get a lot of respect, more than people realise, and the kids who've heard me give talks in their schools see me as a grandma as well as a police person, and you're less rude to your grandma, aren't you? In uniform you can give more and help people to stay safer. Edgware is a lovely community and I do feel I'm making it a better place to be. Hopefully, I'll stay fit enough to carry on doing this for a long time, but when I do retire I'll definitely be volunteering to do something similar because I just love it. It really gives me so much joy."
"I did feel very vulnerable and scared, going out on the beat during COVID. I knew I was at risk, being over 60, and felt very sad being separated from my 4 children and 3 grandchildren too. But I also really love my job and knew that there were people out there who needed to be seen and helped. It had to be done, so I just got on with it. I've been a PCSO since 2004 and I love it. I'm quite a stickler for following the necessary rules, but now I can put them into context for people, and it's my job to be nosey too. It's so gratifying to be in a position where you can help the people who need it, even those who are pretending they don't. A lot of people put a happy face on, make out they have no issues, and then you delve in a little bit deeper and find out that they do. I also love doing crime prevention sessions with old people, schools, nurseries. I really missed that - and all the biscuits too!
"I sat in the Broadwalk Centre last weekend for a couple of hours and people were coming up and telling me all sorts of things. I just put myself in their place and treat them how I would want to be treated. Some, like the elderly and homeless, just feel invisible, but I get to see them and have a chat, give them directions or talk about local issues. I normally wear my hi-viz, and I'll give people strong words of advice if they're doing things like not wearing their seatbelt, or driving while using their phone. But I'm always polite. We do get a lot of respect, more than people realise, and the kids who've heard me give talks in their schools see me as a grandma as well as a police person, and you're less rude to your grandma, aren't you? In uniform you can give more and help people to stay safer. Edgware is a lovely community and I do feel I'm making it a better place to be. Hopefully, I'll stay fit enough to carry on doing this for a long time, but when I do retire I'll definitely be volunteering to do something similar because I just love it. It really gives me so much joy."
"I did feel very vulnerable and scared, going out on the beat during COVID. I knew I was at risk, being over 60, and felt very sad being separated from my 4 children and 3 grandchildren too. But I also really love my job and knew that there were people out there who needed to be seen and helped. It had to be done, so I just got on with it. I've been a PCSO since 2004 and I love it. I'm quite a stickler for following the necessary rules, but now I can put them into context for people, and it's my job to be nosey too. It's so gratifying to be in a position where you can help the people who need it, even those who are pretending they don't. A lot of people put a happy face on, make out they have no issues, and then you delve in a little bit deeper and find out that they do. I also love doing crime prevention sessions with old people, schools, nurseries. I really missed that - and all the biscuits too!