Hear about working for us: Naomi – Contact Management
The Hampshire and Isle of Wight constabulary would not function without the dedication of its incredible non-officer staff. We spoke to Naomi in the Contact Management department about the vital role she plays in Policing.
Why did you choose to work for Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary?
I always knew I wanted to go into a profession where I was able to help people. From completing my degree in Criminology and Sociology, to then working in hospitality I felt that I needed a challenge and a career path I would be proud of. I always wanted to work within the emergency services but thought ‘front line’ meant you had to be an officer working on the ground. I found the role within the Contact Management Centre and it opened my eyes up to the different front line roles within Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary which are out of sight from the public but still play a crucial role in keeping the public safe. I am now 2 years into my job and it’s the best decision I have ever made.
What does a standard day look like in your role?
I am currently working the majority of my shifts as acting supervisor alongside call taking and working on the Digital desk. This diversifies my standard day to day duties. When acting as supervisor I make sure that 999 and 101 calls are coming through and call taker’s questions about jobs they have taken are answered. This can be discussing how to classify a job going for further investigation or risk assessing the correct grading of a job being sent down for deployment.
Call taking consists of speaking with the public on both 999 and 101 calls. This can range from offering advice or updating officers allocated to ongoing cases, reacting quickly to in progress emergencies and sending them to our control room for deployment, or going through risk assessments with victims who are reporting crimes to the police for the first time.
Digital desk is an area within Contact Management that handles all online reports. We are in charge of triaging and processing all reports sent through by victims as well as transferring crimes to other forces and engaging with other agencies.
What skills are required to do the role you do?
Working in Contact Management we must accept the moral, professional and legal responsibilities to protect and serve others to the best of our ability; treating all with fairness, integrity and impartiality placing equality at the heart of our actions. To uphold this role I think myself and colleagues all have qualities of empaths’ but are also logical. We support members of the public in some of their darkest times so it is important we remain calm under pressure, offer effective solutions and work well within a team environment – as colleagues also rely on guidance and support due to the nature of calls being taken.
What is the best part of your role?
I am proud to play a part in trying to prevent crime within the community and support those reaching out for help. It has also brought me personal confidence and offered me progression opportunities I never thought would be achievable.
How do you unwind after a shift?
I think any form of exercise is very therapeutic and helps me unwind and reset. I often go to the gym or use my days off to speak with friends and family in order to disengage from my work life.
For our current vacancies visit our vacancy page All Hampshire Constabulary Jobs, or if you have any questions, please contact police.recruitment@hampshire.police.uk and we would be happy to help. Alternatively, please call us on 023 8045 1611.