I joined Sussex Police in 2007 and started as a Post Assistant at the young age of 19. I worked in the post room opening letters for 6 months, then gained a promotion to the Speed Camera Department. I worked in this department for another 6 months until I moved to join the Scientific Support Branch. Within this department I have been a ‘Scientific Support Assistant’ and a ‘Volume Crime Scene Examiner’, spanning over 3 years. I have gained qualifications from the National Policing Improvement Agency to allow me to deal with major crime, which lead to my promotion to a Scenes Of Crime Officer at the age of 23. I have held this role for just over 6 months now.

The job requires me to attend crime scenes and recover forensic evidence. I attend a variety of scenes; one day I could be dealing with a stolen vehicle, the next I could be at a murder scene. I go to a scene looking for ways to link a suspect to the scene, whether it be through fingerprints, blood, footwear marks, fibres etc. I’m also skilled in photography and currently use a Nikon D300 camera, and our department is known to have some of the best photographers in Sussex Police. 

My main drive and motivation towards the job is helping people who are victims of crime. Being a victim is sometimes very traumatic, and I like to help people deal with this trauma and help them find closure. Sometimes I will be at a scene where, with all my skills, I will not be able to catch the offender which is never a nice feeling. If my forensic skills can’t catch them then I’ll help the victim by making suggestions on ways to secure their property or vehicle. 

I really enjoy the job that I do and I hope to continue to serve the people of Sussex for many more years.