Losing a loved one to gun crime, fleeing a country wracked by civil war, battling imposter syndrome and facing racist abuse.
These are just some of the challenges Tremayne Blair and Vallon Zanzala have had to overcome to get to where they are today.
Tremayne and Vallon recently joined Nottinghamshire Police’s youth outreach team and have made it their mission to help young people.
It’s fair to say that, between them, they have inspirational tales to tell about the paths they’ve taken in their lives that have led them to the police.
The duo agreed to share their personal journeys as part of Black History Month, which is running throughout October.
Focusing on Vallon’s story first, he was only a small child when war broke out in his native Congo, and he and his family had to run for their lives.
He witnessed a series of atrocities before managing to escape and – after a few years spent living in Austria – eventually moved to Forest Fields, Nottingham.
“I heard shotguns and bombs going off; I saw women suffer and grown men beaten, killed and made to look powerless”, said Vallon.
“So, that’s what I grew up around. I would not wish even my worst enemy to go through it.
“We managed to escape and moved to Vienna, where I went to school and was treated very differently to others in the classroom.
“I also witnessed challenges that were not too kind or nice at all, like racist graffiti on the walls, or you’d shake someone’s hand and they’d wipe it afterwards.
“It was sad and difficult, especially not knowing the language, but we just had to overcome, learn and adapt.”
Bulwell-born Tremayne, meanwhile, was left facing trauma of his own, after his family was rocked by personal tragedy in 2009.
That’s when his brother-in-law was shot and killed in Nottingham city centre. Two men were both jailed for 28 years, after being found guilty of his murder.
By his own admission, Tremayne didn’t have the best perception of the police before that and “did stupid things” himself as a teenager, although his family member’s death helped change that mindset.
He said:
“It had a massive impact on my family, in terms of trauma that we’re still living with and dealing with now.
“It caused a ripple effect for me though, when it comes to the kind of things that have happened from that, while it stoked a fire in me to help and support people in the community.
“As someone who didn’t have a positive relationship with the police, everything I saw and heard from family and friends, it was always one way.
“But seeing how quick the response to my brother in law’s death was from the police, in terms of bringing justice, that took away some of the negativity and made me think ‘now look, they are here to help, support and protect’.
“Being a kid off the council estate though, I did have a bit of imposter syndrome when I first joined the police, like I didn’t belong, but after a while, you start to see everyone’s pretty much the same, and we’ve all got the same goals.”
Chief among them for Tremayne and Vallon is using their experience and wisdom to empower young people in the community to make the right decisions, while also breaking down barriers with the police too.
Through their respective roles as youth outreach worker and youth outreach coordinator, Vallon and Tremayne regularly engage with children from harder to reach groups, through events or one-to-one intervention work.
“The jobs I’ve had have always been about families and young people because I want to inspire,” said Vallon, who previously worked in social care.
“I’ve only had perhaps five or six years of education my entire life because I missed a chunk of it when I was young running for my life, so I want them to stay out of trouble and engage with their education.
“I also want to help change young people’s views of the police, so they can see that, whether its officers or youth workers, they are there to help.”
Tremayne, who worked at Derbyshire Constabulary before switching to Nottinghamshire, said:
“I think youth outreach and breaking down those barriers in the community is massive, and is something I’m really passionate about.
“I’m not a police officer; I’m just a council estate kid myself. Its important young people see that other side of the force, so it’s not just high-vis and helmets all the time.”
Vallon added:
“I never thought I would work for the police, and friends and the community would say ‘are you sure you want to work with them?’
“But for me, my family were really happy, and it was a big achievement and a celebration.
“That might not be the same energy for your average English Black family, but for mine it was, because of everything I’ve been through.”
Building trust and confidence in policing within Black communities and tackling racial disparities are among the main aims of the national Police Race Action Plan, which Nottinghamshire Police is signed up to.
A lot of work goes on across the force towards improving policing for ethnic minority groups across Nottinghamshire, with youth outreach playing a key role in this.
“Having the Police Race Action Plan is massive and it’s something that, looking back historically, I wish was in place sooner,” said Tremayne.
“But we can really see the positivity that’s coming from it, what it’s aims are, where it aims to be, and how inclusive it’s trying to make things.
“It’s been a challenge to try and change mindsets with groups within the Afro-Caribbean community, who can be quite closed off when it comes to the police.
“That’s why it’s so important we continue to build that trust and break down those barriers, so I’m really passionate about doing that as part of my role in youth outreach.”
Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner Gary Godden said:
“It is important to recognise the valuable contributions that people from African and Caribbean backgrounds have made to our diverse and vibrant society in Nottinghamshire, and Black History Month is just one of the ways we can celebrate that.
“It gives everyone the opportunity to share, celebrate and understand the impact of black heritage and culture.
“At a time when there have been national tensions caused by political agendas of division, it is all the more necessary to come together and take every opportunity to be proud of Nottinghamshire’s rich multicultural makeup and promote community cohesion and togetherness.
“As the person elected to hold Nottinghamshire Police to account, it is good to see the force making progress with the Police Race Action Plan which aims to ensure people from African and Caribbean backgrounds are not over-policed and under-protected.
“There is still a lot of work to do but I am determined to ensure Nottinghamshire Police continues to become more representative of the people it serves and that together we strive for a safer Nottinghamshire for all.”
