Police and Crime Commissioner Darryl Preston has recognised the bravery and commitment of Cambridgeshire’s response officers during a national week of celebration.
Response Policing Week of Action runs until Sunday (30) and highlights the difficult and dangerous job frontline response officers undertake to keep the public safe.
Response officers serve at the sharp end of policing and crime, attending everything from serious and fatal road traffic incidents through to burglaries, street robberies, and homicides.
Most newly trained police officers begin their careers in response. It is one of the most eye-opening, varied and challenging roles in policing but provides a lifetime of experience, insight, and skills that will remain with them throughout their policing journey.
Darryl said: “Response policing is one of the most demanding roles ever undertaken by our officers. No two shifts are the same and the highly unpredictable nature of the job gives officers starting in their careers unparalleled insight into fighting crime and what it means to serve their communities.
“Our response officers are not only hard-working, but they also put themselves in the face of danger every day to keep our residents safe, often sacrificing important family occasions in the name of duty. They deserve the highest recognition and praise for their service, and I am proud to join my PCC colleagues across the country in showing our gratitude for the work they do during Response Policing Week.
“This year’s celebration continues to pay close attention to mental health and wellbeing which is an area of policing close to my heart. As a former officer myself, I know how arduously these individuals work and how difficult it can be to process and absorb the scenes they witness, as well as the fatigue. This is why their efforts should not go unnoticed.”
During the week, chief officers from Cambridgeshire Constabulary visited response teams to experience a shift in the life of a 2024 response officer.
Some of the calls they attended included helping a woman experiencing a mental health crisis, being dispatched to a life-changing road traffic collision where the officers had to ascertain the identity of the injured person in hospital, and assisting hospital staff where a man was trying to commit suicide.
Chief officers were impressed with the level of collaborative teamwork across the response teams and hospital staff to support those in need and keep everyone safe.
