Penny the PC at 30
Policing is a career or a vocation that people come to at all ages and all stages of their life.
Inspector Penny Andrews joined the Force and began her career in her mid-30s and has been a police officer for 17 years.
“From as long as I can remember I had wanted to be a police officer. I had a great Uncle who retired as a Chief Superintendent who was my inspiration. I remember when I was about 12, I wrote to the Home Office asking for the best options to take at school, and I even received a reply!!
“When I was 18 the criteria then meant that I was I was too short to join, and then life moved on.
“I went to University and had my daughter. When she was 2, I split up with her Dad and considered joining however at that time it would have meant being in Wales Five days a week which was not how I wanted to parent.
"When she was six, I found myself at a point where I was single again and joined as a Special Constable.
"Three years later, I joined the regulars. This involved a full application form and assessment centre, followed by medical and fitness tests.
"Over the years I have suffered poor mental and physical wellbeing. I am now on ‘adjusted duties’ which means there are restrictions on what I can do in order to protect my health. This has in no way hindered my career just made me take a non-typical pathway at times.
"I am currently the operational lead for child abuse investigations. This will include any interfamilial offences or abuse of position offences on a child aged under 18 years old. My job also carries the responsibility to attend and investigate Sudden and Unexplained Infant & Child Deaths.
“I get job satisfaction and know that I can 100% be of value to the Force.?I’m keen to progress my career and have recently passed promotion exams. I prove that you are never too old to learn!
“I am proud to be a police officer and I know that I make a difference.
“This may not be world changing but to me it is about making a positive impact and difference to whoever I come into contact with whether that be my staff or the public I serve.”
Alongside her role as a Police Officer, Penny is an active and founding member of the Wiltshire Police Connect Women’s network, currently taking up the position of Deputy Secretary.
“When I heard a new Women’s'?Network was being created, I did have reservations that it would be just focusing on the negatives, but I couldn’t help but become enthused by the vision of Connect.
"I could see that, although in?its?infancy, this was a group that I wanted to be at the heart of.?The uplifting of women; addressing of pertinent issues and creation of a support network was something I knew I could 100% support.??I continue to love the positivity of the group; the engagement of members and the realisation that this network is making a difference and is now embedded within Wiltshire Police.”