PC Christina Gaskin

Serving Since

March 2021

Tell us a bit about yourself

I am on the Fast Track Detective scheme and have ambitions to work within our Public Protection Command as a qualified detective, supporting and safeguarding vulnerable people.

Some of my biggest achievements before joining Essex Police would be representing Great Britain in basketball from the age of 14. I earned a scholarship to get my undergraduate degree in Marketing and Psychology whilst being a Division One college athlete at Fordham University in New York City. I also worked on commercial new development and marketed multi-million-dollar apartments on Fifth Avenue and, finally, completing my Master’s in Marketing at Loughborough University.

I still enjoy being active and the challenge of being in high-pressure situations which forces you to trust your instincts in making positive decisions.

What do you enjoy most about your role?

I enjoy the fact that no two days are the same. I value the responsibility we have to speak to victims and to build their confidence in trusting that we will protect and safeguard them when they are at their most vulnerable.

Why is diversity and inclusion so important in and outside of the workplace?

Essex Police is somewhere that truly embraces people’s differences! Within the variety of departments that I have met since joining, I have always found it extremely positive to discover people different to myself. Not only does this mean that Essex Police is a welcoming environment for people from a multitude of different backgrounds, life circumstances, identities, and cultures (to name a few), but it also means Essex Police values diversity of thought when it comes to problem solving. Different people utilise their own life experiences to suggest solutions others would not have thought of.

Were there any barriers to joining Essex Police?

I found there to be no barriers in joining Essex Police. I know that Essex Police are proactive in identifying any aspects of the recruitment process that may unfairly and unintentionally make it harder for any one applicant to another. As such, they have introduced the recruitment buddy scheme across a number of commands.

Why do you think it’s so important that our force values difference?

Working for a force that values difference will allow us to better represent and serve the public and communities around us. People approach problems with different ideas and the more people we have with varying ideas, the more opportunity we have in solving both simple and complex problems.

How has Essex Police as an organisation supported you in your career?

There are several resources available to you when you join Essex Police. I have recently requested a mentor and have had my first meeting with her. She was extremely helpful in providing guidance and coaching in an organisation that I am so new to.

Tell us something interesting about your role?

Being new to the Fast Track Detective scheme means that I get to do several attachments with different specialist areas! This gives me the opportunity to see where I may want to work long term. It also allows me to have a broad understanding of how crimes of different types are investigated.

What advice would you give to anyone thinking about joining Essex Police?

Having previously been an athlete, I think joining Essex Police after finishing a professional career would be an excellent choice as you can utilise the skills you have gained in professional sport to excel within the police. I would also encourage more women to be open to a career within Essex Police. There are so many opportunities to specialise and find a department that suits you!