Working over Christmas – 24/7 Service – we’re here all year round
We’re still here for you this Christmas. Our officers and staff are working every second, of every day, to keep you safe and at Christmas time it’s no different. As always, our teams will be on duty on Christmas Day responding to any calls for help – including a Sergeant Gurpreet Gill, and Jennifer Williams, a Healthcare Professional (HCP), Registered General Nurse (RGP), who work in our police custody department.
Sgt Gill is part of our custody team in Oldbury where we have 60 cells. The team will be dealing with anyone who is detained or arrested throughout Christmas.
Sgt Gurpreet Gill
Gurpreet, also known as Bill, has worked for the police for almost 23 years and during that time, has only been off for two Christmases during that time. But he says he enjoys it and knows it comes with the role and responsibility.
“I will be working Christmas Day and Boxing Day this year on the late shift. I’ve worked the last three years at Christmas, working in custody. I have almost 23 years of service, and in that time, there has only been two Christmases that I have not worked.”
The father of two will be spending Christmas morning and the early afternoon with his family, where he will be eating a Christmas dinner before heading to work for 3pm. Bill added: “I have a wife and two children, and so I will be leaving just after having my Christmas dinner early in the afternoon for my 3pm start. “But this is not the first time that I have done it, and so I understand that with my role it entails a great deal of personal sacrifice, which can often be detrimental to the family-work life balance but at the same time, we are an emergency service and working in the custody block is a core function.
So it is necessary to deliver our service and I’m fully aware of my duties and responsibilities. “And also, if we as a police force are going to achieve our mission in fighting crime and helping the public then we have to be prepared to make those sacrifices while the public will be at home, relaxing with their families. “It is not just Christmas that you miss, there have been wedding anniversaries, birthday parties and family gatherings which can have an impact and it means having to have a difficult conversation with the partner and to remind them of what we do and why we do it.”
Asked what his day will look like working in custody, Bill said: “Working in custody we will be busy assessing how many people are already in custody, how many cells are available and then working out whether people are released on bail, whether that is with conditions or if it is safe for the victim that they are released. “So there is a lot to consider and we work with healthcare practitioners and partners to assess whether people are fit to go into custody or if they maybe need an assessment and referred to a place of safety instead. So there is always a risk and that risk is always changing – we are constantly on our toes, monitoring the situation on how to keep those in custody safe and also to keep the public safe.”
Ultimately, Bill enjoys his role and he knows what the expectations are working in the police. He said: “I do like it. I really enjoy what I do and I know what my role is, what my responsibility is and what the expectations and requirements are and so I ensure that we live up to those.
“It is a constant learning process though, we’re always learning new things and everything is subject to scrutiny and subject to enhanced monitoring too.” Jennifer Williams is a HCP and RGN, working in police custody. Her role includes carrying out assessments for detention and custody interviews of a detained person.
She also collects sample collections like hospital bloods, treats any injuries and illnesses present during custody, and also completes the exit release risk assessment, and any onward referrals that are needed.
Jennifer Williams
Jennifer also treats any police officers that have been injured in the line of duty. She said that she will not be working on Christmas Day this year after working many Christmases over the years, but will be working on Boxing Day, where she says it will be a busy day. We are recruiting – Have you considered becoming a police officer and making a difference too?
There are various different routes you can follow to do so.
References
- ^ Police Officer Recruitment (www.west-midlands.police.uk)