Wiltshire Chief Constable Catherine Roper is a busy officer. On top of leading her force, she is the National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for the Children and Young Persons portfolio and since last year, she has added another role to her hectic schedule; trustee for the Police Children’s Fund.
It seemed like a “natural charity to get involved with” and has been a responsibility that she has embraced.
“I’m really passionate about supporting children and young persons to make sure they can be everything they can be and that they’re given true opportunities. That’s a real focus of Police Children’s Fund; to make sure that, even in moments of potential challenge and hardship, it provides opportunities, be it for school, development or mental health support – or simply having fun. And I have really enjoyed being part of that. It’s just a real honour to be here,” Catherine said.
And the summer months, like those of other chief officers, bring different challenges and opportunities.
“Every summer, across England and Wales, children are out of school, they’re on holiday and they’re having fun. This provides some great opportunities for positive police engagement, and also to make sure that we are keeping them safe. That’s the priority for all police forces – to keep all our communities safe. So, during the summer – we continue to do that – whilst also being mindful of proactively tackling any particular crime trends during the summer months,” she said.
“From the lens of Police Children’s Fund, it does really bring to the fore what this charity allows children to do. They’re providing opportunities for summer camps and activities and more education and more personal support. It’s truly making a difference to its beneficiaries.”
Despite these busy months, even the Chief Constable finds time to relax in nature, whether that is walking her dog or going camping. “I very much enjoy being outdoors, so lots of walking and taking advantage of our long summer evenings. Just spending as much time outdoors as I possibly can,” she adds.