Ever wondered what a “typical” day in the life of a police officer was like?
Police Constable Joel Gill offers a unique insight into what it's like to be part of the boots-on-the-ground wing of the Hertfordshire Constabulary.
READ MORE: St Albans' most wanted
He works as a response officer at St Albans, reporting for duty at the police station and, as part of his duties, will be completing proactive high-visibility Operation Guardian burglary patrols.
He is in close contact with undercover officers working in plain clothes across St Albans, and detectives from St Albans police station who are currently investigating burglaries.
PC Gill’s first job is to attend the afternoon briefing at 3pm with his colleagues from shift, Safer Neighbourhood Constables and detectives.
PC Gill is tasked during the briefing to patrol key areas in St Albans where recent burglaries have occurred. These streets are Drakes Drive, Hatfield Road, Robert Avenue and Watling View.
PC Gill takes a marked police vehicle and a tough pad which allows him to remotely access Constabulary systems and goes on patrol in St Albans. He has his kit with him, including his personal protective equipment.
PC Gill loading gear into his patrol car
That afternoon, PC Gill identifies two men walking along the road who he recognises from his briefing. During briefings, officers on patrol are provided with a list of people wanted for offences.
PC Gill stops his vehicle and speaks to the two men. As he does, he informs the force control room of his location, an action which results in an additional unit being deployed to his location.
PC Gill finds out their names and dates of birth, allowing him to check their details against the police national computer, and he receives confirmation from the force control room that one of the two men is wanted for failing to attend court.
By this time his colleague has arrived and, in order to allow PC Gill to continue on his patrols of burglary hotspots, his colleague arrests the male and takes him to Hatfield police station where he will be kept in the police cells until appearing at Hatfield Remand Court the following day.
PC Gill said: “The briefings help us to ensure we are spending time in the right places in the district, and we are provided with images of those who are wanted.”
PC Gill is then able to continue on his patrol when he receives a call for his attendance at a garage being broken into in Wingate Way.
The offenders had broken into the garage, forcing the lock and then pushed the door up. Nothing was stolen but it caused some damage.
PC Gill obtains a full crime report and offers crime prevention advice to the owner.
After completing house to house enquires, PC Gill parks his police car in a strategic location where he can be both a visible deterrent and a reassurance to members of the public, and he completes the electronic crime report for the burglary.
PC Gill returns to the police station where he has his dinner, with he and his colleagues splitting the times they eat to ensure there are always officers on patrol.
PC Gill’s shift concludes at midnight but more officers come on duty at 10pm who will work through the night until 7am.
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