Constable Sean Hempkin
I joined Northern Constabulary in 2008, after serving as a
Special Constable for 18 months in Inverness. I decided to become a
Special Constable to gain more of an insight into what the role was
all about after which I decided to pursue my lifelong ambition to
become a Police Officer and applied to Northern Constabulary.
My experiences at the Scottish Police College in Tulliallan
really helped to shape me as a Police Officer; I knew it would be
hard work but I didn’t realise quite how intensive it would be. You
have to focus 100% on your training and you need to be able to
totally switch off from your personal life, which I found difficult
at first. However the camaraderie helps you to adjust and there was
always someone on hand to give the extra bit of support you
needed.
After College you don’t stop learning, I’ve undertaken custody
courses, and I’m about to do my driving course. And being one year
into my probation, I’m also learning on the job. I’m based in
Stornoway which gives me the opportunity to develop into the role
and I believe it’s at the right pace for me to learn and work.
In Stornoway I focus on general police duties, which means
working closely with the community and being on hand to deal with
local issues. I enjoy the responsibility of being there for the
people and the community I serve. There’s also the sense of
satisfaction of making arrests and seeing justice done when crimes
do arise.
At the age of 21, the public can sometimes question whether I
can deal with the situation. I know it is up to me to use what I
have learnt to win their confidence and respect, and then take
control of the situation. When you do this and do it well people no
longer see age – they see a competent and confident Police Officer.
Being a good communicator helps you do this, especially as you need
to be able to speak to everyone in lots of different, and sometimes
stressful, situations. You need to keep a level head and have lots
of common sense and generally be a well-rounded individual.
If I could give you one piece of advice, it would be to talk to
as many serving officers as possible to gain a real insight into
what the job involves. It’s an extremely varied and worthwhile
career, and if you want to come into work not knowing what you’re
going to be involved in for the next 10 hours, then this could be
the right career for you.