Force’s new multi-faith lead makes history

30 January 2023

“I want my daughters to think, if Mum can do it, we can do it. Getting this job shows them anything is possible,” says West Midlands Police’s new multi-faith lead Khadija Sulaiman, who has made history after becoming the country’s first Muslim to be appointed the role at a police force.

Having joined West Midlands Police at the beginning of this year, Khadija now leads a team of more than 130 multi-faith chaplains, after replacing John Butcher BEM, who retired after supporting the Force for more than 30 years.

And as Khadija starts to make a mark in her new role, West Midlands Police Federation caught up with the 35-year-old to find out how she is settling in.

“This is the start of a really beautiful journey for me, I know it,” said the mother-of-three. 

“But me to have landed such a role is very uncommon - in fact, when my line manager called me to tell me I’d got the job, he said I was the first ever Muslim to be appointed as a multi-faith lead within a Force. I’m very proud.

“I have three daughters and everything I do is to set an example for them. I want them to believe in themselves and know that if there is something they want to achieve, then they can do it. They drive me, every single day.”

Khadija says she is looking forward to working with her new team while supporting officers and staff at West Midlands Police.

“My first goal is to raise the profile of the multi-faith team. I think people associate chaplains with a collar, and as someone who is out to convert others into following a certain religion - but that is completely the opposite of what we are doing. In fact, I want all of my team to be able to provide consistent support to everyone, regardless of their background, colour or religion,” she added.  

“We offer spiritual, religious and pastoral care, and it’s the pastoral care that I think officers need most. We are here to support officers and staff at all times, whether their issue is personal or professional. I want officers to know that we are a listening ear, a shoulder to cry on and an advisor if that’s what they need - we will be led by them.

“I also think it’s important that we work with under-represented groups and colleagues to give them a voice. The role we play in the Force, as a multi-faith chaplaincy team, I think, is essential.” 

Khadija’s interest in chaplaincy began 12 years ago when she found herself volunteering in the local community, specifically supporting women from South Asia. 

Soon after, she began volunteering as a chaplain at Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospital, ahead of developing her career in chaplaincy at Birmingham’s Women and Children’s Hospital, before going on to support inmates at a local female prison. 

“All the skills I’ve learned working in the NHS and the prison have helped shape me into the chaplain I am today. But the job I’m in now is completely different from anything I’ve been in before. Of course, it’s early days and I’m still finding my feet,” continued Khadija, who explained she is slowly starting to get used to the number of acronyms the police use.

“I’m still learning, but honestly, I believe we should always be learning - that’s what keeps us motivated and driven.

“I’ve held my first away day with the team, and have started to get to know them. We’ve identified a number of gaps that need to be filled, and talked about how we will fill them.”

Khadija explained how she wants to use her previous experience volunteering to tap into local communities.

“I think chaplaincy can be used as a gateway between the police and communities, and our support can really help get to the heart of the issues members of the public are experiencing,” she added.

“I’ve worked with some extraordinary people in the past. The ladies I supported in the prison service were all lovely, and every day was different - I’d walk past one cell and see a woman standing on her bed singing ‘I’m a survivor’, and then in the next cell, see a woman attempting to make chicken korma in her kettle. Working in so many different environments will definitely help my role in the police.”