Welcome to this week’s blog, where we delve into ‘a day in the life’ of Inspector Dan Jones. Dan’s policing journey began in 2012, and his career has encompassed a myriad of roles, within both Thames Valley Police and Avon and Somerset Constabulary. In this blog, Dan shares his insights on managing teams, strategic oversight, and the importance of leadership in policing.
You’ll discover his daily routine, the unpredictable nature of his work, and his unwavering commitment to improving the quality of policing for the public. Dan’s role involves supporting high-level strategic decisions, and he takes pride in the projects he oversees. Join Dan as he reflects on the benefits of a university education for police officers, the challenges and rewards of his job, and his personal interests. Through his stories and experiences, you’ll gain a fascinating insight into the life and responsibilities of a police inspector in the Staff Office. Over to you, Dan…
Can you tell us a bit about your background and what inspired you to become a Police Officer, and now a Police Inspector?
I joined the police in 2012 after completing a degree in Criminology at the University of West of England (UWE). I initially joined Thames Valley Police (Milton Keynes) and worked on a response team for two years, before transferring to Avon and Somerset.
During my time as a PC, I worked on a number of response teams across South Gloucestershire, before becoming the Neighbourhood Beat Manager for Cotswold Edge, which included the famous Badminton Estate.
“I was then promoted into Custody as a Sergeant, where I spent two years before taking a career break to become a professional rugby referee for the Welsh Rugby Union.”
I had always wanted to experience being a full-time athlete and the opportunity for the role was too good to pass up! I had an incredible three-year experience as a referee and I was even offered a full time contract. At that time though, there was a lot of financial insecurity as it was during the pandemic, and so I made a decision to go back to the police. It was always my intention for policing to be my long-term career. I continue to do the rugby on a part-time basis alongside my policing role, however, I now referee for English Rugby Union as it means less travel abroad.
I re-joined the police at the height of Covid and moved into the Professional Development Unit. I was the Bristol Sergeant responsible for managing the team that guided student officers through the first three years of their career. From there, I transitioned to the ‘Staff Office’, which works directly with the Chief Officer Group. In this role, I support Assistant Chief Constable (ACC) Will White.
I was fortunate to be promoted, so I am now an Inspector within the Staff Office. I enjoy managing teams and supporting them to deliver to the public in the best way. My experience of working in the Staff Office has given me strategic oversight about how that can be delivered, and it has provided me with skills and experience in leadership to pass onto my future teams.
“Having completed my Criminology Degree at UWE, I was always aiming to join the police. I have now spent over 10 years in the service.”
However, new challenges now lie ahead for me, as I will soon be joining the Detainee Investigation Team (DIT). I’m excited for this next chapter in Policing and the opportunity!
How does your day start? What does a typical day involve?
In my role in the Staff Office, I work most days at Head Quarters, which involves getting in for 8am to pick up any overnight issues or immediate actions that need to be completed. This will often be my chance to catch up with ACC White and iron out any concerns for the day, before he begins the majority of his meetings.
Once these catch ups have happened, I will make myself a “posh” coffee and porridge, and before I start my meetings, I sit down to work through my plan for the day. I always try to have time away from the screen at least a few times during the day to ensure I stay fresh.
“In Wales, we call anything that is not an instant coffee a ‘posh’ coffee! Usually it is a cafetiere…”
The Staff Office also have a ‘Duty Staff Officer’ day and this involves that person picking up a number of additional tasks alongside supporting the ACC. These tasks can vary widely and may include responding to public inquiries, presenting awards and medals, engaging with members of Parliament, supporting Gold meetings, and providing practical assistance to all members of the Chief Officer Group.
“I enjoy that no one day is the same! Incidents happening around the force area can also influence what your day will look like.”
How does your role link with policing?
As a Staff Officer to the ACC for Strategic Improvement, the primary goal is to enhance the quality of policing for the public. While this can be achieved through various initiatives, my role involves contributing to workstreams and projects that drive force-wide improvements.
Alongside my current role, I am also Public Order trained, so I am also extracted for ‘pre-planned’ or ‘spontaneous’ incidents or events either across the force or nationally.
“In my role, I collaborate closely with the ‘Race Matters’ workstream to help rebuild trust and confidence in the police among Black and other racially minoritised communities.”
What aspects of your job do you find most rewarding?
In this role, I take on both assigned and self-initiated projects within the portfolio. Having overarching responsibility for these projects allows me to take genuine pride in my work and see each initiative through to a successful outcome. While I follow established guidance and procedures, I am also given the trust and flexibility to steer projects in the direction that I believe will have the greatest impact.
What would success in your role look like for you?
The ACC I support makes high-level strategic decisions that influence the entire organisation and beyond. In many ways, my success is reflected in his, as my role is to provide the support necessary for him to achieve his objectives effectively. For me, success in this role means enabling my Chief Officer to focus on high-level decision-making by maximising their available time and streamlining their workload
“My role doesn’t often provide quantitative measures of success. However, if you have supported your Chief Officer well, and the stakeholders and public remain engaged and supportive of the police, then I think you are a lot of the way there.”
What do you see as the main benefits of a university education for police officers, and what do you think the educational priorities are?
As someone who has completed a related degree in Criminology and then joined the police, I can give countless examples of when my degree has become relevant in varying roles. You can apply critical thinking to investigations, write detailed reports and analyse issues, and make practical suggestions and solutions for problems that arise. The list is endless with the transferable skills that a degree provides you.
“The PCDA (Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship), which I have been lucky enough to briefly lecture on, has developed into a practical and theoretical hybrid model which not only provides you with the skills to do the job, but allows you to think about the “why and how” whilst dealing with incidents and members of public. Previous entry routes lacked this.”
There is no doubt that the pressures of doing a degree alongside working full time is tough, but having considered it from a number of different perspectives over time, it is clear that the benefits are substantial and it is well worth the time and energy!
Lastly, what do you do for fun?
I have two daughters aged 7 and 2 and they are a great age for keeping me busy! Any other spare time I have, I like to spend with my wife Shannon and the family, being outdoors; walking, cycling, playing golf and travelling.
Editorial Team
Paul Williamson (Editor-in-Chief); Claudia McCready (Lecturer); Claire Bowers (Senior Lecturer); Eve Smietanko (Joint Programme Leader & Senior Lecturer); Ian Lowe (Senior Lecturer) & Micah Hassell (Senior Lecturer).
If you would like to be a guest blogger, please contact Police.Blog@uwe