Exclusive interview with Central East Command Unit’s Police Community Support Officer Rushnara Blake

Bangla Sanglap Report:
Behind the Badge with the Central East Command Unit’s Police Community Support Officer Rushnara Blake, who was one of the first Asian female PCSOs to join the MPS and has around 20 years of service. Here is her Exclusive interview with Bangla Sanglap about police services .

Question: What was the reaction like from your family when you said you wanted to join the Met?
Answer: “I had a mixed reaction but my late father was very proud that his daughter was among the first Bangladeshi females to do a job that only men were allowed to do in the Bangladeshi community. Women weren’t really allowed to go out physically to do manual jobs.”

Question: What changes have you seen while you’ve been in the MPS? What is it like compared to when you joined?
Answer: “When I first joined there wasn’t as much diversity as there is now’ things have changed for the better. I see more officers from all backgrounds and cultures and that makes me feel honoured and proud of the organisation.

Question: What is a typical day like for you?
Answer: “My typical day will start with booking on reading the daily briefing and dealing with the anti-social behaviour that has occurred overnight. I then patrol my area of Stepney Green. I also arrange to do all the community visits to my local care homes, schools, and mosques engaging with our local residents and partners.”

Question: What are the challenges in your area of policing?
Answer: “We do have issues with anti-social behaviour, predominantly with local youths. This is partly a cultural problem as young Bangladeshi males will not take other male friends to their homes out of respect for their siblings and parents. They then tend to gather in large groups which can cause alarm and distress to local residents, especially as on occasion there may be use of cannabis and alcohol.”

Question: What do you enjoy most about your role?
Answer: “Most of the time my job requires me to talk to youths and try to divert them away from ASB. The best feeling is when a child you dealt with years ago comes back to the tell you they have stayed away from trouble, settled down and changed their life completely. I also love going to visit my elderly residents, talking to them and on occasion having a coffee and doing an activity.”

Question: What would you say to any person who was thinking of joining the Met?
Answer: “It’s a very good place to be. Welcome, be a part of our large family.”