Meet Response Officer, PC Ness

As part of our Behind the Badge (Stoke-on-Trent) series, we dropped in at Hanley Police Station to find out more about response officer PC Ness and her role. Born and raised in Staffordshire, she’s passionate about policing and people.

PC Ness joined our force family in 2020, gaining entry through the Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship (PCDA) scheme.

The PCDA is for people who don’t have a degree. It is a three-year course with a mixture of theory-based learning taught at Staffordshire University and practical training. At the end you will have achieved a BA degree in Professional Policing Practice.

PC Ness, who is 29, graduated in September this year.

Before joining us she did a few different jobs, including working for the prison service, the Michelin and Alton Towers.

She explains: “I decided to join the force because I wanted to help people, particularly children. My career aspirations are to go into the child protection unit. I’ve had some experience in there and it is something I’m going to do once I’ve had a bit more experience on the ground.

“Every day is different. I can be blue-lighting to incidents one minute, responding to a domestic situation the next, and then completing paperwork or adding details of jobs to our various computer systems – after every job we do it is important that everything is documented.

“Victims are at the forefront of all that we do and it is vital that, as police officers, we keep this in mind. If you want a rewarding career where you can protect the community and help to reduce crime this is the role for you.”

For more information about routes to becoming a police officer, visit: https://orlo.uk/5HPt1