Meet The Wiltshire Police Federation Reps – Penny Andrews

24 January 2022

Meet The Wiltshire Police Federation Reps – Penny Andrews

Q. Can you give us a brief summary of your career history and your current rank and role?
A. I have been a Police Officer for 16 years. First 3 of those as a Special Constable. I was a response officer for 6 years then took the Detective path. Worked within the local crime team and offender management. Promoted to Detective Sergeant building a new team within the Early Resolution Unit working with adjusted duties officers before moving to Child Protection. Currently working within a Public Inquiry and seeking promotion to Inspector in the next couple of years having passed the exam in 2021.

Q. What made you want to be a Fed Rep?
A. A lot of experience as a line manager and in particularly of adjusted duties officers. I am an adjusted duties officer myself so have benefited immensely from the Fed in the past. I felt now was the time to give back and to use my experience, communication skills and resilience to help others

Q. Why do you think it’s important for members to be supported by fellow officers as their Reps?
A. They will have lived experiences and will know the most appropriate people to liaise with to try and come to a resolution in the first instance. They will be aware of policies and procedures and should have built up strong working relationships across the force

Q. Which areas in particular are you looking forward to focusing/do you focus on?
A. Equality

Q. What should members do if they’re concerned about anything?
A. Have a chat with a Fed Rep. Don’t sit and worry or dwell. Everyone I have spoken to feel so much better afterwards and wish they had come to me sooner.

Q. What is an unusual or interesting fact about yourself?
A. During lockdown I was a volunteer sewer for a community group. Until this point I really had only made bunting! I started off making scrub bags for the key workers and then scrub hats. I decided to challenge myself and make actual scrubs. The first set took me 2 and a half days. I very nearly gave up but decided they were not going to beat me! I can now make a set in 3 hours. My new mantra in life is “If I can make scrubs, I can do anything”.