‘Keeping the Peace’ Police wellbeing interviews

Series 2 Episode 4 - Force Control Room

In this episode Alexis interviews Tracey Whelan and Mike Gibbs

This insight into the word of the control room from Tracey and Mike, shows how challenging this role can be.  Receiving 999 calls and then dispatching units, never knowing what calls will be for or what is happening when they take the call, they have to rely solely on verbal communication, asking the right questions, listening to people, being calm under pressure, preparing for the unexpected and sometimes being in a ‘no win’ situation whilst processing distressing information …. and then taking the next call.  In this conversation we cover all of the above and their own personal experiences. 

Series 2 Episode 3 - Working as a Firearms Officer

In this episode Alexis talks to Steve Hartshorn and Barry Calder, Firearms Officers

This conversation gives a fascinating insight in to the world of armed officers, the challenges of using firearms in policing, the teamwork, the de-briefs, ways of coping and the impact of having to potentially take a life.  In this candid conversation we hear about the importance of keeping mentally well in what can be a very difficult job and the potential for trauma.  

Series 2 Episode 2 - The Masks We Wear

In this episode Alexis talks with DCI Pete Thorp of Humberside Police about the masks we wear and in particular his mask.  Alexis asked him to take part in a creative task, and in this podcast they discuss how this felt, how Pete interpreted the task and his reflections having done it.  This episode also supports the webinar delivered by Alexis for Oscar Kilo but if you haven’t seen the webinar, the podcast will still be relevant to anyone, as we all wear different masks in our daily life and relationships. 

Series 2 Episode 1 - The Duty of Self Care

In this episode Alexis talks with Sergeant Mark Mottashed of Lancashire Constabulary about the importance of self-care, what self-care means, Mark’s experiences and his lessons learned during his career.  This episode also supports the webinar delivered by Alexis for Oscar Kilo and makes reference to the self-care wheel, a tool designed by Fortis Therapy and Training and used in the Keeping the Peace Training of Police officers and staff. You can watch the webinar here https://oscarkilo.org.uk/keeping-the-peace-resilience-webinars/

 

Episode 5 - Stress Less

In this episode, Alexis speaks with DCI Pete Thorp all about supporting personal resilience, cultural aspects affecting self-care and the impact of the Keeping the Peace training rolled out across Humberside Police.

Episode 4 – Talking bereavement

Officers often deal with situations and incidences that involve death but what happens when you lose someone close in your own life, or you grow up in the shadow cast by loss in your own family.  In this conversation, Alexis speaks with ACO Nancie Shackleton and Health and Wellbeing Manager Sandy Powdrell about the losses they have faced, learning to talk about how they feel and strategies that have helped.

Episode 3 - Managing change responsively

In this episode, Alexis talks with ACC Paul Anderson and ACO Nancie Shackleton about the challenges of COVID and supporting staff in these changes, learning as an organisation and the importance of fostering a learning culture.

Episode 2 – The highs and lows of working from home

Alexis hosts a conversation with Lianne Moore, Contact Officer in the Force Control Room and DCI Pete Thorp discussing all aspects of working from home.  As a new concept to policing, working from home has had its challenges and innovative approaches to working and managing people, have been needed.  

This conversation takes you through the lessons learned from both Lianne who is working from home and Pete, who is managing a team remotely, with the good practices that have been developed along the way with huge successes and benefits.  

Episode 1 – Me, the Force and the Big C

Cancer can strike fear into most of us. In this conversation Alexis talks with Janice Walker (Operational Police Training Sergeant), who was diagnosed with breast cancer, and Laraine Cowley Senior Occupational Health Advisor.  The conversation takes you through Janice’s experiences as someone who survived cancer and how important the support from her management was to her.  

Keeping the Peace - Introductory podcast

In this short podcast, Alexis sets the scene for how this series of podcasts came about and what it aims to do.