Meet PC Anna O'Donoghue

What motivated you to join Northamptonshire Police?

Northamptonshire Police came to my attention while I was studying for my A-Levels in 2019. I was doing Biology, Chemistry and Maths and decided that I absolutely hated sitting down at a desk all day doing the same boring thing every day. I was looking at universities at the time and what courses I could do with my A-Levels that were physical and different, but nothing stood out to me. I remember watching the TV show Happy Valley and thinking ‘wow this is so cool, I want to be a police office just like Sarah Lancashire!’

I started to research the entry routes into the police and came across the Northamptonshire Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship. It was a three-year degree while training and working as a PC throughout the course. Northamptonshire Police seemed perfect for me. I wanted to have the “university experience” but also wanted to learn on the job without any student debt at the end of it! I stumbled across the application process and realised the closing date was in a few days so I applied very last-minute thinking I probably wouldn’t get in. Six months later, after many tests and assessments, I got in! Best last-minute decision I ever made.

What were your ambitions when you joined Northamptonshire Police?

As an 18-year old joining the police force, with no previous policing experience, I did not have any specific ambitions – I just wanted to be a police officer. I wanted to help people and to make a difference. I wanted to be part of a team, meet new people, and to be a part of something that matters.

How do you balance your career and family commitments?

It can be difficult to balance work and family commitments. I have found that working a lot of night shifts and weekends means I miss out on a lot of events, especially in the summer. For someone with FOMO, this is not a good combination! I always like to plan my rest days to catch up with friends and family and to go to nice places so I’m not wasting them. I’ll also always book off family events and birthdays in advance so there is a better chance of being granted leave.

I do not have a family of my own but currently share a flat with my partner. We have a joint timetable so we know when each other are working and we schedule in plans and outings. When we both have a weekend off we like to go away, maybe for a short break in the peaks or pop over to Ireland to visit some of my extended family.

What achievement are you most proud of?

As a part of my degree I had to complete a 10,000-word research project on a topic of my choice relating to my role as a police officer. I decided that I wanted to study women in the police, and their experiences of misogyny and sexual harassment in the workplace. We were strongly advised to only conduct secondary research, however, I decided that I needed to conduct primary research to get the most accurate and up-to-date information. Thankfully, my lecturers supported me in doing primary research and the University of Northampton allowed me to go ahead with the research. I put together a survey which was distributed to all female officers in Northamptonshire Police and I gathered my data. I produced my 10,000-word research project and was awarded a First Class Degree in BA Professional Policing Practice, after all my other assignments and assessments.

Since completing my research, I have been involved in force training days for police officers and have discussed my research, the findings and solutions, to raise awareness around misogyny and sexual harassment in policing. I have received a lot of recognition and praise around my research, and it is my proudest achievement so far.

What is the most rewarding aspect of your job?

For me, I would say that the most rewarding part of the job is when you protect a victim of domestic violence. It is such a complex crime and victims often do not speak up due to fear or other emotions, which makes it one of the hardest crimes to investigate. However, when you get a positive outcome and protect that victim, making them feel safe and heard, it is very rewarding.

What is an average day like for you?

As a response officer I usually arrive at work around half an hour before my shift starts so that the previous team can go home on time. I will kit up, fill up my water bottle, and turn on my work phone and laptop. We usually head for a briefing when the shift starts but I am often sent to emergencies before then. If I am on the emergency response vehicle, I would usually attend around four to six emergencies during the shift, depending on the day. Sometimes I will be marked up to interview people in custody or I may be looking for a missing person. There will always be paperwork that needs doing, whether it is from today or previous jobs I have attended.

On average, I manage around ten crimes in my tray, which I will investigate after I have attended. This involves gathering evidence such as CCTV, identifying witnesses, gathering statements or phone downloads, and eventually bringing in the suspects for interview. I will be doing these enquiries in between emergencies and other commitments to keep my crime workload down.

What are the different types of jobs you’ve had to deal with?

We attend all types of emergencies, with the most common being domestic incidents, road traffic collisions, mental health incidents, shoplifting, and concerns to welfare. Every day is different, and you never know what to expect. I will also attend non-emergency incidents that aren’t in progress which are often booked into a calendar such as thefts, assaults, and burglaries.

What are you goals for the future?

For now, I will be staying on response as a PC. I am planning on gaining as much knowledge and experience as I can, before hopefully becoming a Sergeant in the next few years.

Interested?

Has PC O'Donoghue's story piqued your interest in becoming a police officer? Take a look at how you can join us here at Northamptonshire Police or view all our current vacancies.