Arabella Boyt

“My role involves taking emergency and non-emergency calls within the control room. Members of the public call the police in the worst moments of their lives, and I am one of the operatives to answer their calls.

“My responsibility is to assess the risk of the calls coming in and create incidents based on the calls. The operatives in the FCR are the first point of contact, so there are a lot of queries that the members of the public present to us, and it is our job to assess which ones are police matters and to give the correct advice to them. We also deescalate situations, so that deployment of officers is not necessary. The workload is reduced when passed through the FCR, so our role contributes to cutting this down and to manage the demand the police are faced with.

“I always start the day with a positive attitude, as with this job, you cannot have negative thinking. The question is what a typical day looks like, however no day is the same. There are so many different situations that members of the public could be in, so we must be ready to face anything and to take any calls that come to us. In the FCR we also manage online reports that come in.

“I could be taking non-emergency calls where anything could be presented to you, from neighbour issues to a non-recent sexual offence report. Another day, I could be dealing with admin where emails are coming in from other forces and the risk must be managed. I go home from my shift thinking that I have helped someone who is in their worst situation.

“I originally applied to be an officer, and then saw the FCR job advert. I was interested in this and thought it would be a good starting point in my journey within the police. I went through a process that started with answering questions about myself and my experiences. There was an assessment where I was tested on my typing ability and problem-solving skills. The last step was an interview where they asked what attributes I would bring to the job.

“The best thing I enjoy about my role is that not one day is the same. I come into work at the start of my shift, and I don’t expect anything. I put my headset on and when the call is presented to me, I could hear anything from a domestic in progress to a firearms job, and I would have to deal with it in a professional manner and help to the best of my ability. Even though I do sit at a desk for 12 hours a day, I will very rarely get the same call with the same circumstances twice and to help people in those circumstances is not something a lot of people can say they have done.

“My greatest achievement is that I have managed to get this job at the age I am. I joined Northamptonshire Police when I was 18-years-old. Most of the calls I have taken, a lot of people my age would never have dealt with. Being able to help people at the age of 19 is a rewarding feeling. My family are proud of me for the job that I do.

“When taking calls from domestic violence victims or an elderly person who has been burgled, it can be very tough not to become emotionally attached and invested in them. With this job, you cannot become attached to every call otherwise you wouldn’t be able to do the role you do. A lot of the calls we take in the FCR are distressing but we have a good support network around us. My team manager is there if we do take a difficult call and my colleagues are always checking in.

“As I am young, I have not experienced many things, compared to my colleagues. I have lived a sheltered life and am grateful for this, however it can mean that sometimes when calls come in, I don’t have the life skills yet to relate to them. In these times, I remain professional and seek advice from my colleagues.

“Since joining the police, it has opened my eyes to the wider community, and I realise that I saw the world quite innocently. Since taking this role, I am much more aware of my surroundings. This job has made me realise there is a lot of pressure on the police, and we do not just deal with crime, but a variety of things, such as mental health.”

Rebecca Sturman, FCR team manager and Arabella’s supervisor, said: “Arabella has been with us for just over a year and her presence has had a huge impact on the team in this short period of time. With random outbursts of song to break up the sometimes tense atmosphere in the FCR, Arabella brightens the room with her vibrant, approachable, and eccentric personality. She has not allowed her age to hold her back, she seeks advice to help fill the gaps in her knowledge and her work ethic is one of the highest I have ever seen. Arabella is a real asset to the FCR and will make an exceptional officer in the future.”

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