Bedfordshire Police ride-along: What it's like to be an officer in Luton

To boost their officer numbers and tackle more crime in the town, Bedfordshire Police has a ride-along scheme for aspiring coppers and curious residents, like me, to experience a day in the life of a Luton officer.

Arriving at Buxton Road at 7.30am, I met with the two constables who would be escorting me for the day as they left their daily briefing - PC Aaron Roberts and PC Luke Smith. Five minutes later, we were off out the back door and I slid into the back of the ‘panda’. PC Roberts checked the vehicle and its sirens before heading out.

Throughout the day I got to know the two officers well. PC Roberts, 26, was a veteran with four years under his belt compared to newly-graduated PC Smith, who had begun his second week as a qualified officer.

For both men, their job had been a lifelong dream, with PC Smith torn between a career in the police or becoming a pilot. “I went for it on a limb. It’s got its moments - it’s physically and mentally demanding,” he explained.

As we drove through Warden Hill, it was evident that the men’s age was no indication of their passion and ability to do their job. It was easy to forget I was in a police car as we rode around Bramingham, but that soon changed as the radio chirped, revealing details of a road traffic collision that demanded our help. To my delight, those famous blues and twos were turned on, and we sped to the scenes where multiple cars were damaged but no people injured. As S Club 7’s Reach For The Stars played in the car, the officers diverted traffic, established what had caused the crash and watched out for signs of alcohol or drug use.

Around 45 minutes later, the cars were recovered and PC Smith took out a sweeping brush. Shoving bits of the bumper and lights to the side of the road, he said: “It’s all part of the job.”

It was clear that the job of an officer is not clear-cut, they have to be a cleaner, a social worker, an interpreter, a diplomat and a friend. The latter was especially needed during the next call to a welfare check on a teen. PC Smith’s age was a real advantage as he could relate to the teenager and speak to them on a level they understood.

Some jobs are given to the force which would otherwise be dealt with by the ambulance service - but with the strain already on the NHS, Bedfordshire Police pick these up. PC Roberts said: “We [ambulance and police] are all in the same boat.” Despite the staffing issues facing the force, they are sent to cover incidents that do not necessarily fall under their remit. PC Roberts added: “It’s not all like what you see on 24 Hours in Police Custody.”

Driving down a country lane at speeds of nearly 90mph is thrilling but as PC Roberts explained, this isn’t what the job is all about. The officers have to write reports and investigate crimes further after attending scenes. The morning collision meant paperwork and the more crimes they attend, the more there is to fill out.

Knowledge of the law is key but understanding what all the codes and abbreviations mean is vital as time is of the essence when explaining a situation through a radio. PC Smith said: “I was so lost in my first week, my mind was constantly blown.” PC Roberts was an exceptional driver and was able to relay information fast while navigating the Peugeot through the town.

Coming back to the station, I met PC Alisha McLeod. The camaraderie between Team 2 was strong and they are friends who support one another in stressful situations. PC McLeod said: “Our team morale is pretty great, we back each other up.” Kiss FM played on the TV as officers called up informants, typed on their laptops and handled evidence. I had assumed there would have been shouting and rushing about, but the mood was calm, focused and efficient.

The constables were called to another mental health check. Returning to Buxton Road, they filled out referral forms and reported new information to the intel team. Having an hour for lunch is a luxury I will not take for granted as the men had to grab a bite to eat whenever they could.

People skills, patience and empathy are the most important qualities to have in their profession - whether you are talking about children playing ball games to fatal stabbings, the Luton team see it all. PC Roberts said: “It’s one of those ones where if you don’t laugh, you’ll cry.”

And it's not just the Bedfordshire Police jobs they go to, other forces give them tip-offs and information. Going from one place to another can be tiring, especially wearing a stab and bulletproof vest with pens, a torch, a radio, handcuffs, leg restraints, a bodycam, a baton and PAVA spray. “It can be a lot after wearing it for 12 hours,” PC Smith told me.

Driving through Dunstable, PC Smith took calls and they rolled the windows down to check for the smell of any cannabis, always looking for nearby drug farms. Every time the lights, sirens and fast speeds were used, the driver (PC Roberts) had to assess if it is necessary. Meaning that we couldn’t put the blues and twos and speed past the school traffic - much to my annoyance. As a proud Lutonian, PC Roberts knows the roads like the back of his hand which comes in handy when an incident happens across the town.

After a short quiet period, we were back out with the sirens blaring to the job. According to the pair, domestic violence is a common crime in the area, but this is the same across the country. Treating victims with respect and empathy is paramount to not only establishing what has happened but to help them feel better. In half an hour, it felt like the radio was non-stop as we flew from one place to another and another.

From a bank to a house to a retail park and back to the station, the inevitable crime reports need to be written up before the team can leave for home. While they finish their shift, PC Smith says: “You’re never really off the job.”

While I did get a taste of what it is like to be an officer, there is a lot more to the job - especially the high-pressure situations and potentially traumatic scenes. PC Smith told me: “It gets on top of you and you need to be a certain type of person to do this job.”

If you are interested in becoming a police officer, click here.