Our Force Contact Centre does not stop nor slow down for Christmas and New Year. Our staff will continue to work hard to make sure you are safe this festive time.
Inspector Gareth Coombs will be Oscar One on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, working 6am to 6pm.
“I will see my children on Christmas Eve at my mum’s house – where I still get a stocking, even at the age of 39! Continue reading
Sergeant Nigel Gallagher has worked many Christmases and is currently the custody officer at Bedfordshire Police Headquarters in Kempston. He gives an insight into what it is like to work in custody over the festive period.
“Working in custody on Christmas Day is pretty much like any other day from an operational point of view.
“Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve are the busiest time for us as there tends to be a rise in alcohol-related arrests. Usually the detainees are people who wouldn’t normally be arrested, but have drunk too much and have become disorderly.
“We tend to have an overspill on Christmas morning of those who were out on the town the night before. I can only imagine how much of a shock it is to wake up in a police cell, although maybe the call of shame to Mum about why they won’t be home in time for dinner is something they are more scared of!
“We have even had someone say “You can’t arrest me, it’s Christmas tomorrow!” and then proceeded to spend the night in one of our cells.
“One woman came into custody extremely intoxicated and in a complete mess, as she had been in a fight and asked us if her make-up had run!
“We see more drink drivers across our threshold over Christmas than any other time of year, who make out they have only had a couple of pints, but unfortunately the breathalyser machines tells a different story.
“I think the Thin Blue Line is entirely appropriate around the festive season as we operate on minimal staffing doing 12-hour shifts either during the day or overnight.
“We have decorations up and bring in some festive food which we can tuck into if and when time allows”
“It can be hard when you know many people are at home with their families, but we make the most of it where we can and we are proud to do what we do – keeping Bedfordshire safe.”
Follow the hashtag #KeepingBedsSafe to see all the ways the force has been protecting people and fighting crime this festive season. You can follow Beds Police on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Whilst working on our #KeepingBedsSafe drink driving campaign, a member of our Corporate Communications team told us her story. Here, Helen Hutchinson shares her own personal experience of how a drink driver changed her life.
