From tours of Olympic Park to the best seat in the house at a royal wedding, Chief Inspector Fifi Gulam-Husen’s career in the Metropolitan Police was never dull.
Now, after 17 years policing busy London streets and some of the most deprived areas of the UK, she has joined the ranks of Nottinghamshire Police.
It was partly the size of the force which appealed to her. She said: “Nottinghamshire Police a great force. It’s large enough for you to get broad policing experience, but small enough for you to make a difference. I think working here will allow me to develop my skills and have a complete overview of how things work, rather than only being able to influence one area which can be the case in larger forces.
“I also really liked the ethos here and I think it’s a great force for people who want to have their ideas heard.”
The highlights of Ch Insp Gulam-Husen’s career include some of the nation’s most treasured moments. She said: “The most exciting time in the Met was 2011 to 2012, undoubtedly.
“The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s wedding was extremely exciting and I got the best seat in the house – my team were on the front of the papers in their tunics the next day. I realised that photo would still be shown in 100 years’ time and how lucky we were to be there – the British Police really are the envy of the world for good reason.
“The Olympics in 2012 showed the world the best of Great Britain, when the whole country pulled together. To have actually been involved in it is still a source of tremendous pride.
“What a contrast the riots in 2011 were. As anyone who has policed public disorder knows, the constant sound of colleagues being attacked over the radio is an awful experience that will never leave me. It goes some way to explaining the unique camaraderie found in the police, wherever you serve.
“I also had the opportunity to do a lot of things which people don’t normally get to do, like snooping around 10 Downing Street in the middle of the night!”
Now after nearly two decades of excitement in the capital, Ch Insp Gulam-Husen is looking forward to making her mark at Nottinghamshire Police. “When I did my research around the force, the values really did hit home for me,” she said. “I was also impressed by the Chief Officer Team’s aspirations for the force, and I really wanted to be part of that.”
Having spent the happiest days of her career as a frontline response officer, Ch Insp Gulam-Husen is now taking on a vital supporting role in the force’s projects team, where she will have a role in developing different areas of the force’s work. She said: “Front line officers need to be looked after, because they’re looking after our communities – I see that as my job. I want to make a positive difference to their working lives which enables them to give more back to the community.
“My favourite time was as a duty officer on a response team. You can see the differences you and your team are making immediately, but those officers can only do that with all the support services which enable them to do their jobs.”
Although keen to stress that her colour and gender do not define her, Ch Insp Gulam-Husen sees it as a big responsibility to be a senior female police officer from a BAME background. She said: “I feel a great sense of responsibility that comes with that. We need to reflect the communities we work in, because that builds trust with those communities.
“My door is absolutely open to anyone who wants to find out more about what it is like either working as a female officer or as a BAME officer, or both.
“I know that there can be a reluctance for Muslims like me to engage with the police, let alone to join, so if anyone wants to see that working in the police is absolutely compatible with Islam, I’m happy to speak to them.”
Ch Insp Gulam-Husen is incredibly proud of her time as a police officer and would encourage anyone to consider it as a career. “Anything is possible when you join the police, and that’s a great thing,” she said. “You can really find where you fit best. In policing there’s a job for everyone.”
