In March’s edition of Security Journal UK, Hayley Crawford, Police Inspector at Nottinghamshire Police and creator of Ask for Angela, speaks to SJUK about her journey into policing and the power of care in leadership, in recognition of International Women’s Day.
I joined policing as a direct entry Inspector, bringing with me a background in community safety and safeguarding rather than a traditional policing route.
I arrived with what are often described as soft skills: Listening, empathy and emotional awareness.
They were noticed early on, sometimes encouraged, sometimes treated as something separate from the real work.
In policing, a command-and-control style of leadership is often the most visible and the most rewarded.
Many women find themselves adapting to that, even when it does not come naturally.
I do not know whether it was because I joined later in my career, but my way of leading was already shaped and I was not prepared to lose it in order to fit in. I still care and I am proud of that.
One incident early in my policing career has stayed with me.
I attended a call where a woman had attempted to take her own life using a barbecue inside her home.
She was angry about our involvement, but it was clear she needed protection and support and we arranged mental health care for her.
A week later, while on routine patrol nearby, I knocked on her door simply to check how she was. She was visibly surprised.
She told me that her experiences with the police had always been negative and that no officer had ever come back just to see how she was doing.
That moment reinforced something I truly believe. When people feel looked after, they cope better and they do better. The same is true for teams.
If you care for your officers, listen to them and support them, they are happier, more resilient and they perform better. In a job as demanding as policing, that care is not a weakness. It is essential.
This article was originally published in the March edition of Security Journal UK. To read your FREE digital edition, click here.
