Thames Valley Police response officers talk the first time in uniform and using blue lights
The first time driving through traffic on blue lights and patrolling the town in full police uniform might not feel how you think it does.
Two Thames Valley Police officers have shared their highs, lows and first times of being response officers in West Berkshire.
Mother of two Meghan Adey-Butt has been interested in policing since she was 12-years-old. She joined policing at the age of 18 when she became a special constable and eventually became a response officer four years ago.
“I just knew it was for me,” she said.
“I like helping people, it sounds corny but I really do.
“I joined this job to make a difference; to have a positive impact on people.
“Some people are not appreciative of you and that is difficult sometimes, some people don’t want you there.”
The first time in uniform, PC Adey-Butt noticed people looking at her differently, or just looking at her at all – in a way she never found in day-to-day life.
“You get used to people looking at you,” she said as passers-by watched her and her colleague walk through Market Place.
The first time on blue lights is a mix of excitement and stress, she said.
“It is stressful," she added. "You have to predict what everyone is going to do around you.
“You have to predict whether a car is going to move and where it is going to go.
“You’re thinking do I need any extra resources, what do I need?
“It is stressful.”
The night patrols consist of a mix of walking the town and driving though West Berkshire – notably Newbury and Thatcham.
The teams will venture out in all weather, day and night she said.
“One night it was minus 7 degrees and we were all wearing layers, we had hand warmers in our gloves," she explained.
She believes that the aftermath of George Floyd’s death in America, the subsequent Black Lives Matter movement that made its way to the UK, and the sexual harassment allegations within the Metropolitan Police have shifted attitudes towards the police in recent years.
PC Adey-Butt said the police are aware there are a small number of bad apples.
“When I see this stuff in the media my heart sinks as much as anybody else’s,” she said.
“We are in a job that’s divisive for people and people are entitled to their opinions.
“West Berkshire is a nice area to police but we do get a little bit of fallout.
“The approach to police has more to do with other police forces.
“It only takes one person to ruin it for the rest of us.”
She added: “I tutor Jack [PC Dilly] and I say every person we deal with is a human being.”
PC Adey-Butt, who has a four-year-old and a ten-year-old, said quiet time is what she needs after a shift.
“I get home and I need my quiet time and I tell my partner I just need few minutes,” she added.
For new recruit 20-year-old PC Jack Dilly adjusting his body clock to shifts has been a struggle.
“We finish tonight at 3am,” he said.
“I will stay up and go to the gym. I’ll start work at 9 o’clock tomorrow night.
“It’s hard to stay up but you need to change your body clock.
PC Dilly has been policing for eight weeks and picking up skills from PC Adey-Butt.
“Meghan says just be a sponge for information,” he said.
“First few days I just sat there watching and learning.”
As he finds his confidence, PC Dilly reflects on his experiences so far.
"There’s more paperwork than I thought there would be,” he said; when returning to the police station, officers document all their findings – big and small.
“I enjoy being out and about.
“We want to help people and it is amazing to get a good result.”
