Andrea Ginns

“Every single communication you have with a victim can change the image of the police. From an elderly caller with dementia, to someone wanting to jump off a bridge, you can save someone’s life. In one positive interaction – you have the opportunity to make someone’s day.”

Andrea Ginns, 48, joined Leicestershire Police as a Police Officer in 1995, where she spent her early years in patrol, Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and the Task Unit. She re-joined as a Contact Handler 10 years later, which suited family life as a single mum of two.

“My working patterns at the time worked well being a single mum of two young children – the force was like a comfort blanket as everything was regulated and had a routine.”

On average a call taker in Contact Management Department (CMD) can take around 450/550 calls a month. Speaking about her role as a Team Leader in Contact Management Department, Andrea said:

“Whatever you can do in that moment to relieve the stress and fear of the caller, for me is a win.

“You’ve got to be inquisitive, supportive and be open to every option you get faced with.

“As a big believer in tea being able to make a problem less so, I have used this to distract people from their distress; even a coffee lover will be distracted to defend their love of coffee.

"I always asked at a burglary whether the kettle was missing, a calming ice-breaker to an otherwise terrible situation. I’ve also used this on calls we receive, and dealing with complaints. The wonders of tea!

“If you want a job where you can significantly change the outcome of someone’s day in just a short amount of time, Contact Management Department is the right career for you.”