Back to the Future

Today has been a misty rainy day. It is my mid day of three days off and the weather decided the course of action for the day.

I have spent most of it, writing up my exit interview for my current job, which I finish up on 31st July. It has been an interesting process and I hope some of my comments prove helpful and make a bit of a difference. It’s not that it’s an awful job, it just that I have become so bored and while I had thought this particular job would be my last one, I came to the realization that I wouldn’t be able to last the distance. (Well ok the few years left to retirement!! Ha ha)

I am heading back to the future in that I am returning to my previous job as a Police Dispatcher. A few months ago this would have struck fear into my heart but many things have changed over the past 16 months, since I first left that job.

I became unsettled in my new job and was looking around for other opportunities. Nothing appealed and the thought of having to front up to someone half my age to justify my existence and right to a good salary, put me off even more.

I am not sure what it is about Employment Agencies, but they certainly don’t do much for my confidence!! I recall one horror set of questions such as, if I was at a party, would I talk to a tall woman!! I wasn’t sure how to answer this, should I have said, yes of course if she was gorgeous looking, or no I only speak to short women? I mean what was that all about? I was petrified at the thought of being classified as more mentally unstable than I am.

Anyway, I have been spared the embarrassment of appearing to be insane by being welcomed back with enthusiasm to the role I do love. It is a stressful job, but a very rewarding job. You are at the interface of all the things that go wrong in our society, robberies, burglaries, domestic violence. You name it, it gets called in.

I love being able to make a difference, to be in charge of my own decisions and responsible for my own actions. Ok, they can make or break you and we are all aware of how badly things can and do sometimes go wrong with our emergency system. However, fingers crossed nothing drastic happened on my watch before and hopefully my judgment will be in strong play and all the better for the break away.

There is something else I like about the job. There is a tremendous feeling of belonging, support and respect from all areas of the police. When Shelley was murdered, the police family swung into action in a huge way. I can never thank them enough and in some way my return may just do that for me.

There have been two high profile deaths of serving police staff in the past few weeks. I knew only Steve Fitzgerald, as he was the National Communications Manager at the time of 7/7. He was incredible to my family. He swung all the assistance we needed into action and rang me personally many times when Shelley’s Dad and I were in London, waiting for confirmation of her death.

I am eternally grateful for his role in supporting my family, and I know that his dear family now will be receiving all the love and support possible from this, our police family.

I do feel like I am going home again. It will be my honour to carry on assisting the front line police with all my skills and ability. I will do it with even more passion and as a tribute to Steve and all the wonderful staff who put their lives on the line daily.

Arohanui

KG