OPEN
BOOK
RESERVE
ROLE
MARK SEDWILL’S
SIMPLICITY
STRATEGY
OUR MILITARY
RESERVIST
COLLEAGUES
06
12
INSIDE
TRACK
THE MAGAZINE OF THE HOME OFFICE
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014
CARING
COMMUNITY
The mental health charity
tackling youth crime
VISA MYTHBUSTING
8
LOCAL KNOWLEDGE
9
WIN! £100 SPA VOUCHER
19
02
NEWS
WELCOME
HITTING THE HEADLINES
HITTING THE HEADLINES
03
WELCOME
An aim that guides an action is an
intention. This year, I have decided to
aim my action in a different direction.
This will be my last Inside Track as
editor-in-chief as I leave the Home Office
to teach yoga.
It’s been a real pleasure sharing your stories,
and a real privilege to meet so many inspiring
people during my seven years at the Home
Office. Personal highlights include walking
through fire (literally!) with Sussex riot police,
cuddling up to dogs on duty in Southampton
and being nominated for two Institute of Internal
Communication awards, one for best feature writer
and one for best editor.
I hope this, my last (*sob*), issue is
suitably engaging. Read about Home
Office military reservists (page 12), Mark
Sedwill’s forward look for 2014 (page 6)
and new ways to tackle youth violence
and gang crime (page 10).
Although I’m leaving, you will still see me around
and about, as I will be teaching yoga to staff in
2MS. You can also stay in touch via email:
[email protected].
And remember, you become what you contemplate.
So this year, in whatever you do, aim high. Think big.
Helena Markovic, editor
[email protected]
IN THIS
ISSUE
FEATURES
06 KEEPING IT SIMPLE
TOP DOG STEPS DOWN
An interview with the Permanent Secretary
09 LOCAL HEROES
Addressing the impacts of migration in Manchester
10 TAKING IT TO THE STREETS
The mental health charity tackling youth violence
PEOPLE
12 FRONTLINE STAFF
How military reservists balance Home Office careers
and active service
14 SPOTLIGHT ON …
The mentally disordered offenders team
15 VOX POPS
Ambitions for the year ahead
REGULARS
03 NEWS
Round-up of Home Office headlines
16 VIEWPOINTS
Calling attention to medical conditions and historical events
18 OUTSIDE TRACK
Upcoming events, plus competitions and brain teasers
YOUR INSIDE TRACK TEAM: Editor Helena Markovic, 020 7035 4073,
[email protected]. Writers: Emily Harrand, Antonia Hines, Jane
Fullerton, Cliff Wiltshire. Distribution Jennifer Shockledge, 020 7035 4687. Design
and production Redhouse Lane Communications, 14 Bedford Square, London WC1B
3JA, 020 7462 2600, www.redhouselane.com. Photography: MAC-UK – front cover.
Warren King page 6 and 14. Send your news and ideas to Inside Track at inside.track@
homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk, or text our dedicated SMS line, 07908 703 822.
Views expressed in the publication are those of the contributors; they do not
necessarily represent those of the Home Office. The Home Office is subject
to the Freedom of Information Act 2000. This means that the public (including the
media) may have the right of access to any information our readers submit to us.
DIGITAL ERA
The Home Office has launched updated guidance
on how to use social media websites appropriately.
The guidance includes a troubleshooting guide, which
explains how to protect yourself and what to do if something
has gone wrong. This is useful whether you use social
media or not, as others can post information about you
or to pretend to be you.
The guidance applies to posts made using both work
and personal equipment, during both work and personal
time – but note that only those with the authority to post
on the Home Office’s behalf may do so.
‘Social media is a great way of staying in touch with
friends and family, but it is also very public and potentially
unforgiving,’ says Steve Wilkes, head of information.
‘We need to use it with care, even in our private lives.’
Online behaviour is subject to the same policies as
offline behaviour.
With a record-breaking 102 drug
seizures to her name, Border Force
springer spaniel Megan has become
the most successful detector dog ever.
During her seven-year career, she has
sniffed out 220kg of cocaine with a
street value of more than £30 million.
Megan has prevented more criminal
attempts to smuggle drugs into Britain
than any other dog. But now the crimefighting canine is retiring.
‘Away from work, she is a sensitive dog
with a gentle personality,’ says her handler,
Steven Martin (pictured above). ‘But
when her harness is on she is transformed.
Nothing will get in her way and she does
what she needs to do.’
Her sense of smell is so powerful that
she can detect cocaine dissolved in another
liquid. She can smell cocaine in the sweat of
smugglers who have swallowed or deposited
packages of the drug inside their bodies.
When she finds a scent, Megan will indicate
the strongest point of smell with a ‘freeze’
stare, focusing on it with her eyes and nose.
Her relationship with Steve did not get
off to the best of starts: on meeting him,
she rolled over and urinated on him. But
IN NUMBERS
£3,000
average loss per cyberrelated fraud report in 2013
from that unpromising beginning, the
two of them developed an extraordinarily
effective relationship.
Megan has appeared in a series of
documentaries set in and around Gatwick
airport, so people often recognise her.
Steve says that when her last day of work
comes, it will be an emotional time for
both of them.
After seven years of working on the
front line, Megan’s retirement is now
in sight and at the end of March she’ll
leave her kennels at Gatwick airport for a
quieter life in Kent with Steve.
94
percentage of the
UK population using
the internet at
least once a day
60,000
cyber-related fraud
reports in 2013
80
percentage of
cyber crime
classed as
preventable
See page 4 to find out how the government is raising awareness of cyber crime
INSIDETRACK JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014
INSIDETRACK
04
WELCOME
NEWS
HITTING THE HEADLINES
THIS IS ABUSE
Two new TV ads – one starring
Hollyoaks actors, the other starring
popstars Example, Jason Derulo and
The Wanted – are supporting the Home
Office’s teenage relationship abuse
campaign, ‘This is Abuse’.
The celebrities bust the myths about
consent and encourage young people to
take a stand against abusive behaviour in
relationships – to ‘#callitout’.
The campaign, running until the end
of March, aims to prevent young people
from becoming victims or perpetrators in
abusive relationships by encouraging them
to rethink their views on violence, abuse
and controlling behaviour.
‘We need to wake up to the fact
that girls and young women are subject
to distressingly high levels of abuse from
boyfriends and other peers,’ says Holly
Dustin, director of the ‘End violence
against women’ coalition. ‘This includes
coercive “sexting” and groping in
school corridors, as well as physical
abuse and rape.’
HITTING THE HEADLINES
CYBER SMART
The government’s
cyber streetwise
campaign aims to
change the way
people protect
themselves while
shopping, banking
or socialising online.
Cyber streetwise, which launched
in January as part of the national cyber
security programme, aims to change
the way the public and businesses view
cyber security and equip them with the
skills and knowledge they need to stay
safe online. The £4 million campaign
includes an easy-to-use
website and online videos
offering clear advice for
staying safe online.
The campaign is
receiving support and
investment from a
number of private sector partners,
including Sophos, Facebook,
RBS Group, and Financial Fraud
Action UK.
Take a walk down Cyber Street at
cyberstreetwise.com.
LOOKING FOR EXCELLENCE
Are you proud of your team’s successes
over the past 12 months? If so, enter your
examples of exceptional teamwork for
this year’s Home Office excellence awards.
Teams can still be nominated even
if they came together only for a specific
short-term project, or if members have
since left the team or if some work in
other departments or organisations.
Last year’s awards generated 141
nominations showing the breadth and
scale of the work we do to prevent
terrorism, cut crime and reduce
immigration
while
contributing to
the government’s
growth agenda.
Please keep your eye on
Horizon News for the launch
of this year’s awards and their
refreshed categories.
For more information, visit
the excellence awards pages
on Horizon.
DOCUMENTED PRESTIGE
Five of the Home Office’s
‘Magnificent Seven’ document
examiners [see Inside Track,
November–December 2011 issue]
have used their diplomas as a basis
for taking MSc degrees, which were
recently awarded by Strathclyde
University.
This is the first time MSc degrees
have been issued in the discipline of
questioned documents.
Rebecca Bray, document examiner
at the national document fraud unit
(NDFU) in Sheffield, was one of those
INSIDETRACK to take the diploma in 2013. She not
only passed with distinction, but also
gained the highest overall mark across
all of the various forensic disciplines.
She was awarded a special certificate
and £500 in book tokens at the
Forensic Science Society annual dinner
in November.
NDFU’s Ian Angell says: ‘These
tremendous achievements bring
credit not only to the individuals
concerned, but to the professionalism
of this unit and, more widely, to the
Home Office.’
NDFU officer Rebecca Bray receives her certificate
from the president of the Forensic Science Society.
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014
SUCCESSFUL JOINT
WORKING PILOT
Staff in Her Majesty’s Passport Office in Sheffield have
been conducting Tier 1 immigration interviews on behalf
of UK Visas & Immigration (UKVI) as part of a joint
working initiative.
The 12-week pilot, designed, developed
and delivered by frontline staff, aims
to increase the number of immigration
interviews conducted, both to maintain
effective immigration control and
to inform the next generation
of passport interviews.
Tier 1 applicants, which include the
self-employed and potential entrepreneurs,
are considered a high risk category, with
around 80 per cent of interviewees being
refused leave to remain in the UK. This
makes them ideal for testing HM Passport
Office’s interviewing methodology, the
credibility assessment technique (CAT).
Passport staff in Sheffield used
CAT to probe areas of concern that
UKVI caseworkers had identified. ‘I
enjoyed having more time to probe an
applicant’s story,’ says Alex Wolstenholme
from the Sheffield customer service
office. ‘I can see how this will help us get
ready for interviewing different groups
of passport customers.’
Following their interview, each applicant
had their case returned to UKVI for the
caseworking team to either grant or refuse
extensions of leave to remain.
‘The questions, and also the
extra line of enquiry, were just the
clarification I needed,’ says UKVI
caseworker Mike Forrest. ‘All nine
risk factors were covered at interview
and helped me to make an informed
and positive assessment of
the applicant.’
Early results have confirmed
that CAT supports high quality
decision-making within complex
scenarios. The interviews
conducted under the pilot
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014
were shorter, and made use of audio
recording to help improve the customers’
interview experience. A full evaluation is now
under way to identify further options for
joint working.
Paul Pugh, interim chief executive of
HM Passport Office (pictured below), says:
‘It was inspiring to see such well-motivated,
engaged and enthusiastic teams from both
organisations. It is an excellent start to
joint working across the department.’
05
NEWS
IN BRIEF
THIRD BIRTHDAY
Crime maps and justice
outcomes website police.uk
celebrates its third anniversary
with a simpler design.
LORRY LOAD
Border Force officers in
Coquelles, France prevented
48 stowaways from entering
the UK hidden in the back of a
refrigerated lorry.
SIX MONTHS TO GO
Home Office teams are
busy finalising plans for the
Commonwealth Games in
Glasgow. Keep up to date
with what’s going on by
visiting Horizon.
EQUALITY STREET
The Home Office was voted
government employer of
the year for lesbian, gay
and bisexual people by
the charity Stonewall.
WHAT AN HONOUR
Six members of Home Office
staff were given New Year
honours for their hard work
contributing to making a
difference in the community.
ENDING FGM
The government marked
International Day of Zero
Tolerance to Female Genital
Mutilation (FGM) in February
with a declaration to end FGM
in the UK and around the world.
CLIMATE WEEK
Green Transport in Sheffield,
waste reduction in Croydon,
recycling in Liverpool and cycle
awareness in London are just
some of the events happening
across the Home Office to
promote Climate Week from
3 to 9 March. Check Horizon
News for more details.
Find the online edition of
Inside Track on Horizon
for the full stories.
INSIDETRACK
06
FEATURE
FEATURE
PERMANENT SECRETARY
PERMANENT SECRETARY
07
Y
KEEPING
IT SIMPLE
After 12 months in the job,
Permanent Secretary Mark
Sedwill talks to Helena Markovic
about a year of achievements and
the challenges that lie ahead
INSIDETRACK JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014
ou can tell a lot about people from
Abu Qatada, a highlight of 2013, demonstrated to
the books on their coffee table. Mark
extremists everywhere our relentless determination to
Sedwill has a copy of the Highway
bring them to justice.’
Code. This may seem an odd choice for
One of the first challenges Mark set, shortly after
the Permanent Secretary of the Home Office and
he arrived, was that we should all work towards
you would be forgiven for thinking it had been left
becoming ‘the Home Office the public relies on us
there by mistake – by a Department for Transport
to be’. Last year saw the launch of the Home Office
colleague – or perhaps that it was there for Mark to
Transformation programme, with the first phase –
refresh his knowledge of the road traffic rules.
consistent competence – being tackled head-on.
But in fact the Highway Code booklet in
Mark wants to see more work being committed
the Permanent Secretary’s 2MS office is there for
to phase one this year, including creating better
good reason.
IT systems, bedding down our new performance
‘Road traffic legislation is really complicated,
development review improvements, and encouraging
yet it is boiled down into one simple booklet,’
learning and development to boost people’s potential.
Mark explains. ‘This booklet is a reminder to me,
He hopes this will help the department work towards
and to those that come to see me, that you can
the next two phases, which look at excellence and
simplify things. It tells me and it tells you: if they can
trust: ‘The objective is for us to be able to tell
do it, so can we. Many of the systems
ourselves and others that we have
we use are way too complicated. This
achieved phase one – getting things
There are
idea of keeping it simple makes it
right first time. A very large part
still challenges
easier for individuals to get it right
of this organisation is competent.
in terms of IT,
first time, because they will have
But we cannot yet claim that we
enforcement,
and
clearer guidance and rules to follow.’
are consistent. Everyone needs to
Mark has certainly been clear
net migration, but take pride in what they do and in
from the outset about the journey
each individual piece of work. And
we are in a much
and direction he wants the Home
we need to give people the tools –
better shape
Office to take. This journey, so far,
and the systems – they need to
than we were
has involved shaking things up and
achieve this.’
a year ago”
then simplifying them.
Just before he arrived at the
It started with the massive change
Home Office, one of the first
management programme that reorganised the
things Mark looked at was the staff survey. He
immigration system and created the new operational
was struck by the gap between what he calls the
commands. Mark is confident that it was handled
‘extraordinary commitment to the mission’ and a
well and that the benefits are already being felt less
sense of frustration with the institution. Within a
than a year in: ‘We are getting on top of the issues
short time of his arrival, he found this to be a true
that people care about: backlogs are down, Border
reflection and has spent the past 12 months trying
Force is running 100 per cent checks without queues,
to resolve this, finding his big ideas from practical
and we are removing more people from the country
examples on the ground: ‘When I met frontline staff,
and have a better grip on the immigration system.
I discovered there was a lack of confidence in, and a
There are still challenges in terms of IT, enforcement,
frustration with, the fragmented, old-fashioned and
and net migration, but we are in a much better shape
fragile systems. However, I’ve seen people using really
than we were a year ago.’
clunky technology but in really innovative ways to
Proud moments for Mark this year include
maintain strong border and passport controls. We
the deportation of Abu Qatada, the setting up of
need to build on our progress so far and create fully
the task force to look into sexual violence against
integrated, yet simple, systems that everyone can use
the vulnerable, the work on modern slavery, and
with confidence.’
the launch of the National Crime Agency and
Mark hopes that staff are ready for constant change
the serious organised crime strategy: ‘There were
and eager to travel with him on this journey towards
people who worked on [the deportation of Abu
consistent competence, excellence and trust: ‘We are in
Qatada] on and off for a decade. And eventually,
a very fluid world. How the digital era and the age of
through perseverance, professional skill and strong
austerity will evolve is very difficult to forecast, but we
political leadership, we achieved that. It was a
must be ready to evolve to ensure we continue to keep
really important moment. The deportation of
our streets safe and our borders secure.’
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014
INSIDETRACK
08
FEATURE
FEATURE
GREAT BRITAIN CAMPAIGN
ICE MANCHESTER
09
MYTHBUSTERS
Why is a London bus
touring Turkish cities?
Inside Track meets the
teams campaigning
abroad on behalf of the
UK’s visa system
I
n locations across the
world, staff in UK Visas &
Immigration (UKVI) are deeply
involved in the GREAT Britain
campaign, helping to dispel the
myths about the intricacies of the
UK’s visa system.
The GREAT campaign is the
government’s ambitious international
marketing campaign showcasing the
very best of what Britain has to offer
and encouraging the world to visit,
study and do business with us.
As part of a week-long event at one
of Jakarta’s premier shopping malls,
UKVI staff in the region ran a visa
consultancy booth to answer questions
and hand out leaflets about the UK’s
visa system in Indonesia. They also
took part in panel-style forums to
answer common questions about what
UKVI had to offer.
INSIDETRACK ‘The potential of the Indonesian
market is huge,’ says regional manager
Tony Moore, who is based in Manila.
‘I’m really pleased that the team
was able to be part of such a positive,
successful event and get the facts about
visas across to so many people. It was also
a terrific opportunity to gain valuable
insight into this market to help shape our
future service and communications.’
Locally engaged members of the visa
team were on hand to speak to potential
visa applicants in their native language,
Bahasa Indonesian. The team also
attended networking events including
a VIP business event for chief executive
officers and senior company executives.
STAR ATTRACTION
Meanwhile, Turkey’s campaign took the
form of a tour of cities spearheaded by a
London Routemaster bus.
‘Without doubt, the bus is a star
attraction,’ says Istanbul-based David
Haxton. ‘It sends out a positive message
about modern Britain which instantly
gets people on board with what we have
to say.
‘We provide an excellent service at
the visa section in Istanbul, but we’ve
had to overcome unfounded, negative
LOCAL HEROES
Inside Track meets the Manchester team improving life
in the city by cracking down on immigration offenders
perceptions, and the GREAT campaign
has given us a platform to tackle these. For
example, some business people in Turkey
think it is difficult and time-consuming
to get a visa, but in fact the team generally
issues the vast majority of business visit
applications it receives within five days.
‘I visited three cities as part of the tour:
Bursa, Kayseri and Adana. Each plays
a vital role in Turkey’s recent economic
success. Reaching out and speaking to
local business people was very productive,
and gave me a better insight into our
customers’ needs.’
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014
N
othing beats local
knowledge to get a job
done and that’s exactly
what the immigration
compliance and enforcement (ICE)
team in Manchester is doing: tackling
local needs and addressing the local
impacts of migration.
ICE Manchester works alongside the
police, HM Revenue & Customs, and
local authorities and other local partners
to enforce immigration law – tracking
down illegal migrants and targeting
companies that flout the rules by
employing workers illegally.
The arrest team visits residential and
business addresses to carry out daily
enforcement operations. The job can be
difficult and dangerous at times: as well
as dealing with people running away,
officers have to deal with verbal and
physical abuse.
‘We had one offender who jumped
out of a first-storey window and broke
his back,’ remembers immigration
inspector Ian Ashenden. ‘He was ok,
but it does make you think. Our biggest
skill in these circumstances is working
to defuse a situation by clearly talking
things through.
‘During difficult operations or critical
incidents, you really appreciate your
colleagues, and the team always performs
brilliantly when faced with adversity.’
Manchester is a busy operational area
– around 300 people visit the reporting
centre every day, and the offender
management team regularly detains
individuals visiting the centre.
‘We give illegal migrants an
opportunity to make their own
arrangements to leave the UK and those
who are not making sufficient efforts to
leave are detained and removed,’ says Ian.
IAN ASHENDEN,
IMMIGRATION INSPECTOR
already had some great results from these
joint-working operations.’
Recent examples include 10 arrests at
a restaurant in Trafford and eight arrests
at a knitwear company, where officers
also seized approximately £13,000 in
cash.
Despite its achievements, the team
still faces continual challenges. ‘Today, a
lack of bed space in detention centres is
an issue, tomorrow it will be something
else,’ says ICE team leader Paul Airlie.
‘Enforcement operations are instigated
by referrals from colleagues across the
organisation – particularly those in
intelligence and removals casework. We
are working closely with those colleagues
to help improve the quality and quantity
of cases that are referred.’
One project the team is working on,
One Manchester, is promoting effective
joint working between immigration
enforcement and key partners in the city.
It is embedding immigration officers into
police custody suites as part of Operation
Nexus, recruiting police community
support officers to support the ICE
team, and developing stronger links
with communities.
‘It’s an ambitious remit, but really
interesting work,’ says Ian. ‘And we’ve
LOCAL LINKS
The team is constantly looking for
opportunities to build further links
with local partners. This year it will be
developing its work with the civil penalty
compliance team, ensuring that referrals
can be used to impose fines on those
who seek to break the law by employing
illegal workers.
‘This is going to be an exceptionally
busy and challenging year for us,’ says
Paul. ‘But I am really confident that the
team will rise to the challenge.’
Our biggest
skill is working to
defuse a situation by
clearly talking things
through.”
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014
INSIDETRACK
10
FEATURE
FEATURE
MAC-UK
MAC-UK
TAKING IT
TO THE
STREETS
can prevent bad things by sharing my
experiences.’
This honest approach is working well
with young people, who are finding the
sessions helpful and supportive. ‘It’s good,
‘cos I don’t lose my temper,’ says Gemma
(not her real name). ‘It helps you learn
about music and also helps you learn to
make the right decisions.’
Matt Griffiths, executive director of the
National Foundation for Youth Music,
which has supported MAC-UK since its
formation, observed a workshop at Acland
Burghley School in North London.
He says: ‘I was impressed by the
supportive environment created by the
team – the way the music programme was
tailored to the interests of each individual,
taking into account the challenges they
face – and by the robust methodology
used to assess their distance travelled.’
11
COMMUNITY CARE
The government has put extra resources into
investigating the mental health needs of offenders
as a way of addressing crime.
Street triage trials
In summer last year, nine police forces were selected
to pilot street triage schemes. Under the schemes,
mental health nurses work with police officers to offer
immediate mental health support where and when needed.
Ending gang and youth violence programme
This programme, set up following the London riots, has the police, health
professionals and community projects joining forces to reduce gang
violence. The programme’s first annual report was published in December.
Mental health nurses in police stations and courts
On 4 January this year, the government announced an extra £25 million
funding to make mental health nurses and other health services available
at police stations and courts. The money will fund a range of liaison and
diversion services in England, including 10 trial sites that will be operating
With the recognition that one in three young offenders has mental health needs, more
innovative ways are being adopted to tackle youth violence and serious gang crime
T
he stairwell of a London
council estate is not where
you would expect a clinical
psychologist to be doing a
‘therapy session’.
But a London-based mental health
charity is doing just that. MAC-UK is
taking mental health workers out of
the clinics and onto the streets to tackle
antisocial behaviour and youth gang crime.
‘“Streetherapy” goes wherever and
whenever young people need the support,’
explains clinical psychologist Dr Charlie
Alcock (right), who set up MAC-UK in
2008. ‘This can be on a bus, on a bench
or in a court waiting room.’
Since it was launched in 2008,
Streetherapy, part of the MAC-UK
‘integrate’ model, has been accessed by
more than 800 gang members aged
16 to 25.
And as a third of young offenders have
social and wellbeing issues, the approach
wraps mental health intervention around
what matters to young people – things like
job-seeking, music, football and housing.
‘It starts with being seen in the
area and being more than
just “furniture” in the
community,’ says Dr Olive
Moloney, MAC-UK’s
frontline clinical lead
psychologist.
‘We are building
relationships with young
people, their families and
whoever else is important in the
area. We then ask young people for their
help to set up projects that matter to
them – like running DJ-ing workshops or
even setting up a boxing club.
‘Young people tend to bring their
friends, who may want help with writing
a CV, getting a job, or various other
things. Spending a lot of time getting to
know them can lead on to therapeutic
conversations – from mental health issues
to accessing mainstream services, like
housing and benefits.’
MAC-UK supports
a number of projects
including ‘Mini MAC’,
where ex-offenders who
are now trained mental
health workers encourage
young people to use music
to talk about mental health,
wellbeing and street culture.
‘It’s all about helping young people so
that they don’t make the same mistakes I
did, following the same roads to trouble,’
says Alex, one of the Mini MAC tutors.
‘If I can do that by being honest, I
INSIDETRACK
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014
INTEGRATED SERVICES
As part of its external evaluation by the
Centre for Mental Health, MAC-UK’s
successful approach will be tested in three
other London sites over the next three
years.
And there are continuing efforts with
local police forces, housing providers
and other services to work together
to understand young people’s mental
health needs. This includes MAC-UK’s
partnerships with Southwark council and
the Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust
for the ‘Integrate Southwark’ project;
and with Camden Council, Camden and
Islington NHS Trust, and the Tavistock
and Portman NHS Foundation Trust for
the ‘Integrate Gospel Oak’ project.
‘There’s now greater recognition that
serious gang and youth violence is a public
health issue,’ adds Dr Alcock. ‘But there
has to be commitment from all services,
with mental health at the heart of the
solution.’
to a new and improved model.
Early identification of mental health illnesses, learning disabilities and
substance misuse problems can help reduce not just the offending
behaviour itself, but also the burdens on the police and the criminal justice
system. It also leads to better informed treatment and supports decisions
within the criminal justice system.
Crisis care
The soon to be published ‘Mental health crisis care concordat and action
plan’ will set out how the police, the NHS and other agencies will work
together to respond to someone suffering a mental health crisis. Part of the
plan includes people in crisis being taken to a health-based place of safety
in an ambulance rather than a police car when detained under section 136 of
the Mental Health Act.
Right: Home Office minister Norman Baker
visited MAC-UK in London in December.
To find out more about MAC-UK,
visit mac-uk.org
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014
INSIDETRACK
12
FEATURE
FEATURE
MILITARY RESERVES
MILITARY RESERVES
FRONTLINE STAFF
Inside Track hears how military reservists from around the Home Office
balance active service and civilian life
U
K reserve forces
play a vital part in
defending our nation,
training and deploying
alongside regular forces such as
the Royal Marines, British Army,
Royal Navy, Royal Air Force and
Special Forces (Reserves).
Bob Lovett now works in
the Home Office’s emergency
services mobile communications
programme, but for 21 years before
joining the department,
he was an officer in the
Royal Corps of Signals.
‘Although I left the
regular army two years
ago, the military is still
a big part of my life,’
says Bob. ‘I have enjoyed
the transition to civilian life
and the fresh challenges this has
brought. I am also delighted to be
able to continue my passion for the
military through a very rewarding
career with the Army Reserve.’
The military ‘can do’ ethos has
served me well, particularly in dealing
with complex problems and handling
high pressure environments.”
helped him in other areas of his life.
‘I’ve learnt so much,’ said Matt.
‘I was called up for the 2003 Gulf
War, did a tour in Kosovo, and
worked in places such as Jordan,
Cyprus, Germany, Poland and
Northern Ireland.
‘I’ve also done scuba diving and
sailing, and I’ve met people from
all walks of life – all of which has
stood me in good stead.’
RECRUITMENT
Matt recalls applying
to join the Army
Reserve (then known
as the Territorial
Army) back in 1997
after seeing an advert in
a magazine. ‘I didn’t know
anything about the army. But
things have come a long way since
then – now you can get a wealth of
information online. Everything’s
come a long way since I joined.
The support and training days are
much better.’
BOB LOVETT
‘The Home Office’s support for
my reservist career has been terrific
and I am grateful both to the
organisation as a whole and to my
line managers for making my dual
career possible.’
Matt Rowles is a Border
Force officer working in
immigration and customs
at Heathrow airport.
When he’s not dealing
with passengers and
frontline operations, Matt
is responsible for making sure
people, freight, and ammunition
supplies get to the front line, using
any method of transport available.
Matt agrees that the experience he has
gained over the years as a reservist has
13
Craig Palmer, who joined the
Home Office as an immigration
enforcement officer last year, has
been a reservist for two years.
He believes that he has been
able to make the most of the
opportunities that have come
his way as a reservist through the
support of his line manager.
‘Mine has been very
supportive,’ said Craig (pictured
below left). ‘As I had joined
the reserves before I
joined the Home Office,
my manager was very
flexible, allowing me to
take special leave to go
on training.’
‘There are many different
careers within the reserves,’ adds
Bob. ‘There are technical and
medical and logistical professions
that you can join. And because of
the variety of roles, people from
many different backgrounds sign
up. So you get to learn new skills
and meet new people – it’s great.’
All the reserve forces are actively recruiting.
Find out what opportunities are available:
The Army Reserve army.mod.uk/armyreserve
Naval Reserves royalnavy.mod.uk/navyreserves
Royal Marines Reserves royalnavy.mod.uk/marinereserves
Royal Air Force Reserves raf.mod.uk/rafreserves
Special Forces (Reserve) army.mod.uk/specialforces/30602.aspx
Joint Cyber Reserve GOV.UK/government/organisations/
joint-forces-command/about/recruitment
MILITARY ATTITUDE
‘I felt well prepared to make the
move to a civilian career,’ says Bob.
‘I think the military “can do” ethos
has served me well, particularly in
dealing with complex problems
and handling high pressure
environments.
‘In my reservist role, I am the
senior staff officer at 11th Signal
Brigade headquarters. 11th Signal
Brigade provides information and
communication support to military
operations in the UK, including
working with the emergency services
– which, of course, has relevance to
my day job at the Home Office.
INSIDETRACK INSIDETRACK
14
PEOPLE: SPOTLIGHT ON ...
PEOPLE
MENTALLY DISORDERED OFFENDERS TEAM
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
15
NAME CHRIS FOSTER
JOB TITLE ASSISTANT
DIRECTOR, CRIME
DIRECTORATE, IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT
WORKPLACE BECKET HOUSE, SOUTHWARK
OPEN TO
QUESTION
As 2014 gets into full swing, Inside Track
asks staff what their ambitions are for
the year ahead
As disability champion for immigration
enforcement, I’d like to support greater
awareness of mental health issues across the
Home Office.
Cheryl Cates
CRIMINAL CASEWORK DIRECTORATE, CROYDON
Describe yourself in
half a dozen words.
If crime doesn’t sleep,
neither do I …
Who were
you before
the HO? Police officer.
What do your duties
involve? I manage crime teams in the
Midlands, Scotland and Northern Ireland,
and Wales and the South West.
What’s the office vibe? Upbeat.
Describe the view outside your window.
COMPLEX CASEWORK
Inside Track meets the team
specialising in dealing with
the deportation of offenders
with mental health issues
WHAT WORK DO YOU DO?
Our team specialises in deporting foreign
national offenders, specifically those who
have been sectioned under the Mental
Health Act. This includes those who have
been convicted and given a hospital order
under the Mental Health Act, those found
not guilty by reason of insanity, and those
in prison or immigration detention who
are subsequently sectioned. A majority of
the offenders that we deal with have, up
until they suffer their mental illness, spent
a considerable period of time in the UK
leading a normal life, and this is one of
the many factors that add to the complex
nature of these cases.
WHAT HAPPENS DURING
A NORMAL DAY?
Each day carries unique challenges. We
deal with a very high number of mentally
disordered offender cases from different
nationalities and investigate the mental
health infrastructure within various
countries for the purpose of deportation.
INSIDETRACK ME AND
MY TEAM
To make staff across the Croydon estate aware
of the existence of our wellbeing room, which
supports those affected by mental health issues.
Jo Fricker
CRIMINAL CASEWORK DIRECTORATE, CROYDON
WHAT DIFFERENCE DO
YOU MAKE?
We focus on protecting the public from
the harm that can be caused by those who
have mental health problems. Some of the
cases we have dealt with involve a range
of serious criminal activity, from patients
who have randomly attacked people in the
street, to cannibals, child killers and multiple
murderers. These cases can be high profile and
it brings a sense of satisfaction to know that
our work is protecting the public.
NAME: TOCHI ANURUKEM
LOCATION: APOLLO
HOUSE, CROYDON
NUMBER OF STAFF: 12
caseworker for the mentally
disordered offenders team.
Adam Ridley
Our team liaises with clinicians
meetings, and interacts
with some of the offenders.
We are working on building a greater
understanding between us and our
stakeholders about our role – who we
are and what we do – to help speed up
processes. We are also working with the
Ministry of Justice to gain access to those
of their databases and information sources
which would help us work more effectively.
We look at issues arising
We are a hardworking and diverse team, with
individuals from different backgrounds, who
always pull together to achieve our objectives.
We are also always open to feedback and
questions about our work. To contact the
team, please email CCMDOEnquiries@
homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk
from prisoner transfers to
stare for too long.
Sir John Stevens, former commissioner
of the Metropolitan Police, who was a
charismatic leader.
What was your most embarrassing
work moment? Being mistaken for an older
Ryan Gosling …
What one thing would improve your
work life? Building greater connectivity
across law enforcement to tackle organised
immigration crime.
progress and risk levels of
WHAT WOULD MAKE LIFE EASIER?
HOW WOULD YOU RATE YOUR
TEAMWORK?
BORDER FORCE, LONDON
in the NHS to assess the
patients, attends care plan
What advice would you give to a new
colleague? It’s OK to look back, but never
Who has been your best boss and why?
To make a difference to Border Force’s
operational assurance, see it become a success
and, hopefully, take the lessons I have learned
on to my next placement in the aspiring leaders
scheme.
I am the lead senior
The Shard, the Gherkin … take your pick!
Using my passion and enthusiasm as a recently
qualified Les Mills body attack fitness instructor
to make my new gym classes a success.
Lisette Sokell-Morgan
CUSTOMER SERVICE UNIT, SHEFFIELD
What’s your job in a parallel universe?
Karaoke DJ.
What keeps you sane? My family.
What’s the last film you saw?
12 Years a Slave.
What are you reading? Inside Track – I just
hospitals and immigration
detention centres, as well as
can’t put it down.
issues relating to discharge
What’s on the stereo? Dean Martin.
Tell us a secret. I am a lot older than I look.
Who would play you in the movie version
of your life? Ryan Gosling.
What’s next? So much, I don’t really know
arrangements. And we also
draft submissions to ministers.
My ambition for 2014 is to further improve my
organisational skills within the National Border
Targeting Centre – hopefully in time for dad
duties with the arrival of a baby girl in April!
Ian Byrne
BORDER FORCE, LONDON
Above, left to right, front row: Eileen Bailey,
Nathaniel Asafo-Agyei and Nuzma Begum.
Back row: Michael Campbell, Chris
Rodricks, Tochi Anurukem, Aisha Uddin,
Juliana Edwards and Alistair Albosh.
If you'd like to shine the
spotlight on your team,
email a brief summary of
who you are and what you do to:
[email protected]
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014
I’d like to finish my evening course in Danish
and, at some stage, travel back there to
use the language. I’m also in a new role in
the corporate security directorate and I’d
like to succeed in this new challenge whilst
achieving my unit’s core objectives.
where to start!
If you have a burning question you would
like Home Office staff to answer, or you
would like to be one of next issue’s voxpoppers, email inside.track@homeoffice.
gsi.gov.uk or text 07908 703822.
Charles Wilson
CORPORATE SECURITY DIRECTORATE, CROYDON
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014
INSIDETRACK
16
VIEWPOINTS
VIEWPOINTS
LETTERS, NEWS AND OPINION
LETTERS, NEWS AND OPINION
SIMON SAYS
them went through, being stuck in a body that they knew
was wrong.
I left the seminar much better informed, but also uplifted.
My belief that most people are fundamentally decent was
reinforced, as the speakers were clear that the majority of
their colleagues were supportive and understanding. Most
importantly, the fact that at the end of that difficult journey
they became much happier people is uplifting in itself.
Whether or not you know somebody with gender
dysphoria, becoming better informed about a condition
that affects one in 4,000 people in the UK is worthwhile.
To find out more, there is a workplace guide for staff
and managers on Horizon. Better still, email a:gender at
[email protected] and book a seminar in
your workplace.
Just before Christmas, I attended a seminar in Leeds
hosted by a:gender, the support network for staff
in government departments and agencies who have
changed or need to change permanently their perceived
gender, or who identify as intersex.
The seminar was primarily to build awareness and
understanding of the medical condition gender dysphoria,
in which a person’s sense of being a man or a
woman (their gender identity) is inconsistent
with their physical appearance.
We heard from some remarkable people
who had undergone, or were in the process
of undergoing, gender reassignment. The
stories of how they coped were at times
distressing but delivered with disarming
humour and candour. I cannot begin
to imagine the turmoil that each of
David Whitehall
REPORTING & OFFENDER MANAGEMENT, GLASGOW
We must
never forget
Director of communications
Just wanted to applaud
Rupert Davis for his
article [see Inside Track,
November–December 2013
issue], which was obviously
a very brave thing to do.
It is daring steps like
these which help to break
down difficult preconceived
perceptions in the workplace.
Rupert, I’m glad you’ve
made it though your difficult
journey, congratulations,
and thank you very much
for sharing it with us and
for striving to use it for
something positive.
Font fault?
I am all in favour of saving money, but when it is
detrimental that is not a good thing.
I cannot read the font size/typescript on the November
online version, as it is blurred and indistinct. I know that
it is not my glasses as I have just had a new pair. Can you
please review the font size?
Sue Pullar HOME OFFICE IT, SHEFFIELD
EDITOR’S COMMENT:
The font size we use in the magazine and online is 11pt. The
recommended size for publications is between 11 and 12pt.
When the pages are viewed on a PC it is possible that
the rendering of the fonts becomes slightly blurred. To
prevent this, we shall look at increasing the kerning (the
space between each letter) and hopefully this will resolve
any issues in reading the magazine.
Sirius business
Share and Enjoy; are you Sirius?
I do hope this was deliberate …
Follow @ukhomeoffice for news stories, speeches, photos and videos.
Rob Sharland
HM PASSPORT OFFICE,
PETERBOROUGH
@ukhomeoffice
@cyberstreetwise
@ukhomeoffice
Currently standing at
Crime down by more than 10%
When did you last change
Find out more about the US-UK
131,696
under coalition government,
your online passwords, and just
taskforce to Counter Online Child
according to independent
how secure are they? Visit
Exploitation which was launched
followers
statistics #CrimeIsFalling
http://www.cyberstreetwise.com
this week: http://bit.ly/18DXIJ3
2,287
http://bit.ly/1jDrtAu
and #becyberstreetwise
12 December, 18 retweets,
23 January, 19 retweets,
13 January, 28 retweets,
reaching # accounts
tweets
reaching # accounts
reaching # accounts
INSIDETRACK JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014
LETTER
OF THE
MONTH
Thanks for an excellent article [see Inside Track, November–
December 2013 issue] – you done me and the local
programme team proud.
Believe it or not, I’m leaving the Home Office, after almost 31
years as a civil servant, for a new career as a professional cycling
coach at the new Sir Chris Hoy velodrome. There’s plenty of life
left yet in this old dog!
Simon Wren
Open and honest
Aliause Ayub NATIONAL DNA DATABASE DELIVERY UNIT, BIRMINGHAM
A new cycle begins
17
EDITOR’S COMMENT:
You caught us, Rob – there
are one or two Hitchhiker’s
Guide to the Galaxy fans here
among the editorial staff ...
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014
I was proud to be part
of the Home Office’s
Holocaust memorial
day event in January.
It included a moving
talk from Auschwitz
survivor Susan Pollack.
Originally from Hungary, Susan was imprisoned
in a number of concentration camps, including
Auschwitz-Birkenau, prior to being liberated in
Bergen-Belsen on 15 April 1945.
It was a privilege to hear Susan’s story and I know
that those in attendance appreciated the importance
of remembering these atrocities, so that they will
never be repeated.
The event was part of the UK’s Holocaust
memorial day on 27 January, the 69th anniversary
of the liberation of Auschwitz. It remembers the
millions of people killed in the Holocaust, the
Nazi Persecution, and subsequent genocides in
Cambodia, Rwanda, Bosnia and Darfur.
The Home Office founded Holocaust memorial
day in 2001, but has not commemorated it for a
number of years. Colleagues from J-Net, a newly
formed staff network for those with an interest in
Judaism or Jewish activities, organised this year’s
event in partnership with the Holocaust Educational
Trust. We hope that it will now be an annual event.
For more information, visit hmd.org.uk or het.org.uk.
Michael Livingston
OSCT & HOME OFFICE J-NET, LONDON
Send your comments and pictures to:
[email protected] or text
our dedicated SMS line: 07908 703 822.
INSIDETRACK
OUTSIDE TRACK
OUTSIDE TRACK
ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE
ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE
Crossword
Out & about
Scenery, culture and sweet
treats guaranteed to put
spring into your step
EXMOOR: The North Devon and
Exmoor Walking Festival rambles
through Ilfracombe, Lynton, Lynmouth,
Porlock and Dunster between 26 April and
5 May. Offering 41 guided walks of various
distances and difficulties, the Festival is a
wonderful way to explore the area’s stunning
coast and countryside, whatever your rambling
experience or stamina.
www.exmoorwalkingfestival.co.uk
STRATFORD-UPON-AVON:
Celebrate William Shakespeare’s 450th
birthday on 26-27 April with a visit to his
birthplace. Stratford has been marking the
Bard’s birthdays for over 100 years, and
this year’s festivities will include a grand
procession, a costumed parade, and a series of
events at the five Shakespeare family homes.
www.shakespeare.org.uk
Recipe: Chocolate raspberry brownies
Squidgy and super moreish, these gorgeous
foolproof fruity chocolate bakes will be snapped
up in seconds
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes
INGREDIENTS
n 200g dark chocolate,
broken into chunks
n 100g milk chocolate,
broken into chunks
n 250g pack salted butter
VARIOUS: Chocoholics rejoice! The
Chocolate Festival tours the south of
England throughout April, visiting Bristol
(5-6 April), London (11-13) and Oxford (1819). Britain’s biggest celebration of chocolate
includes a chocolate café and Cocoa Spa,
where you can taste and buy everything from
chocolate fudge to chocolate cocktails.
www.festivalchocolate.co.uk
n 400g soft light brown sugar
n 4 large eggs
n 140g plain flour
n 50g cocoa powder
n 200g raspberries
TO MAKE
Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas
4. Line a 20 x 30cm baking tray
tin with baking parchment. Put
ACROSS: 6. Highly intelligent aquatic mammal with sonar (7)
7. Heroine of two books by Lewis Carroll (5) 8. King of Spain
ousted by the declaration of a republic in 1931 (7) 9. Wine
district of France, bordering the Gironde, north of Bordeaux (5)
11. Spasmodic jazz dance (9) 14. Northern sea between Iceland
and Scandinavia (9) 17. In plants, the undeveloped seed (5) 18.
Elder of the Wright brothers (7) 19. Piece of unwrought metal,
cast in a mould (5) 20. 19th-century French composer of the
'Symphonie Fantastique' (7).
DOWN: 1. Outdoor game, played on a green (5) 2. Surrey town
with famous racecourse (5) 3. Star of The Muppet Show (4,5) 4.
Musical term meaning “quickly” (7) 5. Eight-armed sea creature
(7) 10. Scottish seaport at the head of Loch Ryan (9) 12. Substance which dissolves another (7) 13. Bird with deeply forked
tail which migrates between Africa and Europe (7) 15. Stringed
instrument of the violin family (5) 16. An early computer language, now obsolete (5).
Last issue's crossword solution: ACROSS: 1. Newton 5. Handel 8. Eye
10. Gamer 11. Trust 12. Koi 13. Austen 14. Lie-in 15. Cook 16. Doll 18. Miro
19. Sinatra 20. Aura 21. Xmas 22. Dior 24. Hymns 26. UNESCO 28. Rum
30. Rhyme 31. Alice 32. Dot 33. France 34. Halley DOWN: 2. Emmys 3. Turkey
4. Neck 5. Helicopter 6. Natal 7. Ecumenism 9. Stone of Scone 10. Grandfathers
15. Centigrade 17. Lord Mayor 23. On call 25. Stern 27. Seine 29. Myth
1
the chocolate, butter and sugar
in a pan and gently melt, stirring
occasionally with a wooden spoon.
Remove from the heat.
Stir the eggs, one by one, into
the melted chocolate mixture. Sieve
over the flour and cocoa, and stir in.
Stir in half the raspberries, scrape
into the tray, then scatter over the
remaining raspberries. Bake on
the middle shelf for 30 mins or,
if you prefer a firmer texture, for
five mins more. Cool before slicing
into squares. Store in an airtight
container for up to three days.
2
3
4
6
7
8
9
5
How much cocaine has Megan, the Border Force detector
dog, kept off our streets in her seven-year career?
a) 110kg b) 220kg c) 330kg
Email your answer to [email protected]
or text your name and answer to 07908 703 822. Entries
must be received by 28 March 2014.
Congratulations to last issue’s winner:
Mark Durant, sponsor investigations team, Sheffield
The Inside Track competition is only open to employees of the Home Office and its agencies. The
editor’s decision is final. We reserve the right to modify or discontinue, temporarily or permanently,
this competition with or without prior notice.
6
11
8
2
13
8
4
9
7
14
15
17
19
8
16
5
18
8
20
4
7
3
6
4
1
3
2
2
5
9
7
1
4
3
8
3
8
6
2
4
6
1
7
9
Fill in the grid so every
row, every column and
every 3x3 box contains
the numbers 1 to 9
Check if you were right
last issue: sudoku
solution below.
1 4 2
6 8
1 2
7
8 5 4
7 8 5
4 3
9
2 1 6
2 1 6
5 7
3
9 6 3
4 5 8
3 7 9
9 1
2
8 4
6
3 6
1
6 9 7
2 5
8 3 1
7 9
5 2 4
5
3 9 7
9 4 8
6 7 3
1 2 5
8
4 3 1
4
5 6 2
7 8 9
Source: BBC Good Food
Books
Music
Movies
Ancillary Justice
By Ann Leckie
Join the Dots
By Toy
The Hobbit:
The Desolation of Smaug
INSIDETRACK Escape to a Lavish spa, take a break and enjoy
some pampering and relaxation. Over 500
wonderful spa and beauty locations across the
UK – from destination spas in the country to day
spas in the city – accept Lavish vouchers for spa
days, massages, facials, manicures, pedicures
and more. Simply answer the following question,
based on an article in this issue:
Sudoku
SEND IN YOUR OWN REVIEWS AND SUGGESTIONS – EMAIL: [email protected] OR TEXT 07908 703 822
l l l l l The spaceships of the Radch
Empire have minds of their own. Everything
the 100-strong crew experiences, the ship
experiences too. When the Justice of Toren is destroyed, her
mind clings to life in the body of a single human soldier – and
sets out to get those responsible. Ann Leckie strikingly evokes
both the near-omniscience of the ship in her prime and the
relative claustrophobia of her individual form. Missing Iain M.
Banks? Look out for this (and its two planned sequels).
Inside Track team
WIN! A £100 SPA VOUCHER
10
12
19
lllll The second long-player from
Brighton five-piece psychedelic rockers
Toy sees the band echo their debut outing with
drone guitars, pulsating bass lines and swirling, pre-synthera keyboards. Drawing influences from artists such as The
Damned, early Primal Scream and Green on Red, Toy provide a
refreshing alternative to today’s over-polished, slick, indie guitar
outfits. Standout is the title track, although Fall Out Of Love
pushes it close. Failure to keep up that good work throughout the
whole album prevents a full five-star review. Inside Track team
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014
l l l l l Did Peter Jackson really need
three movies to retell JRR Tolkein’s concise
adventure tale? His embellishments do raise
the stakes and enrich the setting; and the extended white-water
barrelling sequence is crying out for a tie-in rollercoaster. But, as
in the first instalment, this movie’s at its most gripping when it
sticks to the book, calling on Martin Freeman’s Bilbo to talk his
way out of another monstrous encounter – this time with the
magnificent dragon, Smaug. Inside Track team
Quick Quiz:
1. Smugglers accidentally
shipped 140kg of cocaine to a
German supermarket hidden
among what foodstuff?
2. Which speed skater was
Team GB’s flagbearer at the
Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics
opening ceremony?
3. What is the street value of all
the drugs Megan the detector
dog has helped seize during
her career?
4. Britain’s first life-size statue
of Charles Dickens now stands
in which city?
5. Which Hollywood actor
was recently found dead at
his home of a suspected drug
overdose?
6. Who recently played two gigs
in one night in London after fans
queued for hours in the rain?
7. January 2014 was
England’s wettest winter
month since records began
in which year?
8. What is the name of the
mythical three-headed dog
that guards the entrance to
the Underworld?
SCORE 0-3: Must try harder 4-5: Average Joe 6-8: Brainbox
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014
QUIZ ANSWERS: 1. Bananas 2. Jon Eley 3. £30 million 4. Portsmouth
5. Philip Seymour Hoffman 6. Prince 7. 1767 8. Cerberus
18
INSIDETRACK
20
PHOTO FINISH
HELP TRAIN DETECTOR DOGS
A NOSE FOR TROUBLE
Staff are encouraged to help train
Border Force detector dogs at airports
and ports around the country. The
dogs are trained to detect drugs,
tobacco, cash, firearms and products
of animal origin.
‘It is important to keep
the dogs trained as much
as possible in the most
realistic way,’ says Alan
Thorpe, a detector dog
handler. ‘Dogs can
smell whether you have
been on a flight or not,
so to make this a real life
training exercise we need as
many volunteers as possible.
‘If you are travelling by air or sea, it
only takes 5 to 10 minutes longer than
your intended journey time. Detector
dog staff will meet you off a flight or at
a port and give you a package to carry or
to hide on your person or among your
possessions. You will then walk past the
dogs to see if they detect the package.
The dogs might sniff you, but don’t
worry, they won’t jump up. Giving dogs
realistic situations keeps them aware
of the new smells that can be used to
disguise drugs,’ adds Alan.
The dog teams want as
many volunteers as possible.
The dogs need to learn to
detect around people of
all ages, so families with
children are also required
for training purposes.
Rebecca Foster from the
communications directorate
(pictured) has already worked as a
volunteer. ‘It is a privilege to volunteer
and help the dogs train in this way.
It doesn’t take long and it’s really
important that the dogs are given the
most realistic environment possible,’
says Rebecca.
For details about volunteering,
contact the team at the port or
airport you’re travelling through:
Heathrow
[email protected]
[email protected]
0208 897 6863
Stansted and Luton
[email protected]
01394 303133
London City and Southend
[email protected]
[email protected]
01375 853226
Gatwick
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
Southampton and Portsmouth
[email protected]
07810 851194