by
Ryan Clement
WHEN I WAS GROWING UP, many of my friends wanted to be a footballer, doctor or lawyer. In our minds, the first was a possibility whilst the second and third were merely distant dreams rather than true or real tangible aspirations. They had a ring to them, in that order; doctor or lawyer not vice versa, and highly unlikely.
WHAT I NEVER HEARD was someone say that they would want to be a police officer. I cannot say why that was the case, it just was. I cannot even blame it on my or my family not knowing anyone, personally, from the Force because neither my family nor I knew a doctor, other than the family GP, of course, or a lawyer, either, so it cannot be my or our lack of connection or ties.
SO IT WAS, THEREFORE, A PLEASURE to interview Detective Constable Shaun Pascal recently who gave us an insight into the life of a serving police officer. He began by telling us what led him to join the Met Police, saying, “I joined the Met because I wanted a challenge.” There can be no question that policing the capital can be amongst the most challenging of jobs. However, DC Pascal was very positive on this point. I asked him what was his biggest challenge to which he replied that his biggest, initially, was, “overcoming that fear that had been instilled in me. But, to be honest, there was actually no need for me to worry at all. It was the exact opposite.” He was, “embraced, supported and nurtured.” He stated that, “people are people. As long as you treat them with respect regardless of the race, religion, background. Show empathy. You try and understand their traumas and why they may react to you in the first instance, and you actually take the time to listen and show them that you are listening.” Concluding that, “the public do come around.”
I ASKED DC PASCAL whether, in his opinion, diversity and inclusion plays or should play a role in the police force. He said, “It plays a very important role,” and went on to say, “We need different perspectives. We need people from different walks of life because it is no point looking at things one-dimensionally because then it will only impact on a small portion of the community. So we need diverse voices.” I could not agree more.
FINALLY I asked DC Pascal, in the next 10 years, “What Shaun would I see? What would have happened over those 10 years or what would Shaun like to see?” He replied, amongst other things, “I’d like to say that we’ve made progress, tangible progress, and that we’re in a better place. We are not having the same conversation.” Hear, Hear! I cannot add to that! 👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾
Copyright © Ryan Clement 2024
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