NPAA Vice-Chair awarded KPM

The Vice-Chair of the National Police Autism Association has been recognised for his outstanding career in digital policing in this year’s King’s Birthday Honours list.

Former Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary Chief Inspector Nick Elton has received a King’s Policing Medal after 29 years of distinguished public service across police forces in Cleveland, Surrey, Wiltshire and Hampshire, as well as the College of Policing.

Nick joined Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary in 2017 at the rank of Chief Inspector, leading the force’s Digital Intelligence and Investigations team in finding new ways officers could capitalise on new technologies.

One of the most significant legacies of his career was while serving with the College of Policing where he delivered the Digital Media Investigator role across the 48 UK police forces as well as the National Crime Agency.

In Hampshire, Nick also created and hosted the Force’s Digital Discovery Workshop events. Attended by hundreds of policing professionals, these innovative events featured speakers from international intelligence services and leading industry figures to share tactical advice on digital investigations and raise awareness of cyber enabled crime.

His influence in this area extends beyond policing into wider industry and academia where his knowledge and insight is highly regarded and sought after. He is a Visiting Professor at Birmingham City University, a Chartered Security Professional, a Chartered Manager and a Fellow of the British Computer Society, the Institute of Directors, the Security Institute and the Chartered Management Institute.

As Vice-Chair of the NPAA, Nick is a strong and public ambassador for neurodiversity in policing. He was also a Police Federation representative between 2010 and 2017.

Recently retired, Nick has worked tirelessly to keep policing ahead of how technology is being used by criminals. His work in shaping and driving the UK policing response to cyber and digital crime has been pivotal and transformed the national landscape.

Reacting to this honour, Nick said: “I would like to express my deepest gratitude and immense honour upon being nominated for a King’s Policing Medal. Words cannot adequately convey the depth of my appreciation for this recognition, it is better than winning the lottery!

“This is a momentous occasion in my life, as it signifies the acknowledgment of my efforts and contributions not only to policing locally within Hampshire and Thames Valley but also nationally. But this is really a collective award, it is a testament to the hard work, dedication, and passion of those who I have worked and served with in the pursuit of common organisational goals. Knowing that our collective endeavours have been recognised. This award is a testament to the effort of those who have stood by me.

“I am incredibly honoured to have served as Vice-Chair of the National Police Autism Association. The remarkable growth of the NPAA, now the fourth largest Police Staff Association in England, is a testament to the unwavering dedication and tireless efforts of our Chair, John, our exceptional current and former Executive Team, and our invaluable coordinators and members across the country. Day by day, they selflessly work to support and uplift their fellow staff members who face daily challenges. In the face of adversity, our coordinators embrace each challenge as an opportunity for personal and collective growth, fostering greatness within our Association and beyond. Our journey towards success is marked by the resilience and determination we have all shown in overcoming obstacles. Together, we have built a thriving community that empowers and inspires. The impact we have made is a testament to the power of our collective unity and unwavering commitment.

“The support and encouragement that I have received whilst with Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary has been instrumental in my personal and professional growth. I am truly grateful for the opportunities that have presented and for believing in my abilities.

“I would also like to express my appreciation to the distinguished individuals who were involved in the selection process. Their discerning judgment and commitment to recognising outstanding achievements have made this honour all the more meaningful.

“I have served in a number of Forces across my career but my time in Hampshire was definitely the most enjoyable. If anyone is thinking of a career in policing I couldn’t recommend Hampshire enough as it is such a positive place to work, particularly for neurodivergent people.”

Chief Constable Scott Chilton said: “I am delighted that Nick has been honoured in this way for his expertise and leadership in digital policing and cyber security.

“His commitment and passion has meant policing both locally and nationally has a far better understanding of the threats posed by cyber criminals, and we know from our communities that his work with businesses has had a direct impact on raising awareness and crucially preventing victims of these sorts of crimes.

“On behalf of the whole Force I would like to congratulate Nick on his well-deserved KPM.” ∎

This article was originally published on the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary website – it is reproduced and updated here with kind permission of Nick Elton

My policing career as a dyslexic officer

Superintendent Ross Campbell of Warwickshire Police shares his experiences as a dyslexic police officer and wants people to know that having dyslexia is not a barrier to success

I’ve been a police officer for 22 years. I joined the service when I was 18. I struggled at school – there was no awareness of dyslexia then, and though my teachers said that I had potential, they mistakenly thought I was a daydreamer and that I didn’t try hard enough. I left school with average GCSE grades. I failed my A-levels, so university was not an option. I had always liked the idea of joining the police service – I reached out to my local Force, who were very supportive and encouraged me to apply. I applied and was successful.

Supt Ross Campbell

I enjoyed being a police constable, but there were aspects of my role I struggled with, including the paperwork and taking statements. I knew I wanted to progress and I aspired to a leadership role. Unfortunately I failed my first attempt at the sergeants’ exam. I failed part two of the OSPRE exam four times! It was perseverance that kept me going. Each time I failed, I was able to learn from the experience and apply that learning to each new attempt. I was successful in the end, after five attempts.

I didn’t know I had dyslexia then, but I knew there was something that wasn’t quite right. My reading speed was slow and I often found words confusing. I’d never read a book from cover to cover. I also had problems with direction and found it challenging to distinguish left from right. These are traits that I now know are common to dyslexia, but I didn’t have this understanding until the time came for me to pursue promotion to Inspector. On my second attempt at the promotion board, my memory went blank and I lost track of everything I had wanted to share. I just sat there staring into space and I had no idea I was doing it. At that point, I had been a temporary inspector for four years, acting up in the role for that time as there had been no promotion boards. I had a wealth of skills, abilities and experience that I knew would make me an effective inspector, as I had proved that in doing the role for so long. It was incredibly frustrating to be experiencing working memory difficulties at such a crucial time.

Fortunately, the chair of the panel was aware of dyslexia having supported a relative with the condition. On their advice, I looked into the possibility that I might be dyslexic.
My journey accessing formal diagnosis was unfortunately very difficult. Initial screening tools offered by the Force gave contradictory results. I was eventually able to have a clinical assessment, which confirmed my diagnosis. Getting the diagnosis was a very emotional experience. On the one hand, I was thrilled to get the clarity that a diagnosis can give you. On the other hand, I couldn’t help but feel regret over the opportunities I’d missed and how my experiences might have differed, if only I’d known about my dyslexia sooner. I had lived my life and my policing career thinking I was not good enough, and I saw others around me flourish when I struggled. At times, every day was a battle with my own mind.

At that time, policing had little awareness or experience of supporting people with dyslexia. There was disagreement in my Force over accountability for support between Occupational Health and Human Resources (HR). An Access to Work assessment made a number of adjustment recommendations to help remove barriers at work, but there were no policies in place for adjustments for dyslexia. Questions arose around budgeting and there were technical difficulties around assistive software compatibility with Force systems. It was clear from the outset that there was a distinct lack of organisational understanding of dyslexia and how to support dyslexic colleagues.

Talking to colleagues nationally through networks I had begun to build, I identified that this was not an isolated issue. It took 18 months for my adjustments to be put in place. It was a stressful and difficult time, and I wanted to ensure that no one else would encounter the same challenges. I started to get involved in supporting Force awareness and capability around dyslexia inclusion. I took an active role in developing dyslexia policy, processes and practices, and I began a neurodiversity network. I presented my own academic research and workforce survey results to HR leads and to the Assistant Chief Constable, making recommendations around adjustments and processes, and the Force was very supportive. Thanks to their pragmatism, we now have effective policies in place to support officers and staff with dyslexia. Initiatives include using work-based assessors and implementing QuickScan and QuickScreen screening tests, as well as interview adjustments.

“Having access to adjustments was key to my successful promotion to Chief Inspector”

Supt Ross Campbell

I was able to access adjustments for my next Chief Inspector promotion board. It was quite surreal to personally experience the adjustments that I had been able to put in place to support others. The process highlighted how important it is that an organisation works with the individual to consider what adjustments might be helpful and that any potential adjustment should be agreed by the individual affected. Implementing an adjustment without that collaboration and with no consideration of a person’s needs is unhelpful and counterproductive. I worked with HR to introduce appropriate adjustments: I agreed to have three minutes per question during the interview to review the question and consider my answer. It was an option to have the questions beforehand with time to consider them, but I wanted to do that one by one in the interview. I was listened to and supported around my needs. The adjustment removed the need for immediate recall that the traditional interview format demands and gave me the time I needed to consider my answer. Having access to adjustments was key to my successful promotion to Chief Inspector.

My career has gone from strength to strength since my diagnosis. I have obtained qualifications in leadership and management, business administration, and coaching and mentoring. I enrolled to study part-time for a distance learning degree in policing. I graduated with first class honours in 2018. In 2019, I was awarded a College of Policing bursary and have just completed my master’s degree in criminal psychology. This complements my role as a hostage and crisis negotiator. I am now a Superintendent and Head of Digital Services at Warwickshire Police.

Adjustments allowed me to work to my strengths and helped to remove barriers to my success. Feeling listened to, valued, supported and understood also had a massive impact on my confidence. Dyslexic officers and staff have made – and will continue to make – an invaluable contribution to policing. This is something that should be celebrated, due to our out-of-the-box thinking and our natural attention to detail. It’s important to have an inclusive work environment and effective policies that allow dyslexic officers and staff to make this contribution and to unlock their potential.

I had never been successful on the first attempt in any process I had gone through. To date, I have sat eight promotion boards for four ranks. Resilience and perseverance have got me to where I am today. Hopefully, the advances in awareness and support – and in particular, workplace adjustments – will mean that these challenging experiences will be a thing of the past. ∎

Superintendent Campbell is an active campaigner for dyslexia awareness and inclusion. You can follow him on Twitter at @dyslexic_cop

This blog was originally published as part of the College of Policing Workplace Adjustments Toolkit – it is reproduced here with kind permission of the author

Autistic meltdowns: a guide for first responders

Autism advocate Viv Dawes has developed a new guide for police officers and other professionals who may come into contact with an autistic person experiencing meltdown.

Viv writes:

“This guidebook is designed for any first responders, primarily police officers, or anyone in the emergency services, who may come into contact with an autistic person experiencing a meltdown, a shutdown and autistic burnout. The book can also be used by social workers, mental health professionals and other professionals working with autistic people.

“This book gives you some basic information about what autism is and will give you an understanding of what autistic meltdowns and shutdowns are and how to respond appropriately. The book also explains what autistic burnout is, its causes, symptoms and what will and what will not help the autistic individual.

“Why is it so important to understand autistic meltdowns, shutdowns and burnout? It is common for many autistic people to reach crisis point – they need very particular help and support, which differs from people who are in crisis but not autistic. The suicide rate amongst autistic people is also very high, with autistic adults 10 times more likely to take their own lives, and autistic women 13 times more likely.”

Click on the image to download a free PDF copy of the Guide. More resources can be found on Viv’s website. ∎