PC Liliana Rodriguez

Serving Since

May 2019

Tell us a bit about yourself

I am a Police Constable at Essex Police. I work on the Local Policing Team (LPT) as a front-line officer. I respond to incidents and deal with prisoners. I will soon be moving to the Domestic Abuse Investigation Team (DAIT) and begin my training to become a Detective Constable – all in under two years. My hobbies are walking my dog, going to the gym, reading and going out for food!

What do you enjoy most about your role?

My current role is enjoyable because there is something different to do every day – no two days are the same. The shift I am on are like my second family and make the job extremely enjoyable too.

The new role I will be undertaking is a lot different to LPT. It will be more of an investigative role such as dealing with prisoners, liaising with the Crown Prosecution Service and getting good outcomes for the victims.

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

Diversity and inclusion are important because it is paramount that you feel comfortable in the workplace. No one should be treated differently for any reason – all human beings are equal. Also, the feeling of inclusion creates a team, and a strong work ethic when you have a team working together is excellent.

There are people who are good at different types of things within the role of policing and just in general – if we can put all our different skills together then a good working environment can be created, and a lot can be achieved. Everybody has strengths and weaknesses – it is just a case of using these in positive ways.

Were there any barriers to joining Essex Police?

I did not face any barriers when joining Essex Police.

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

I struggled at points during my time on LPT, which led to a period of sickness and eventually a move to another shift. When I joined my new shift, they were completely supportive of me and gave me all the help I needed. I was given a mentor to help me get back into the swing of things after being off for a few months which massively helped build my confidence. My shift and supervisors have always supported the career pathway that I want to take, which is investigations, and have allowed me to move before my two years’ probation ends.

Tell us something interesting about your role?

At Essex Police we don’t just catch criminals and arrest them. We help vulnerable people, we help people suffering with mental health and we go above and beyond for victims. These are just some of the things that we do here at Essex Police. Catching the bad guys is paramount, however we also do so much more than that – which some people don’t realise.

What advice would you give to anyone identifying as black, Asian and minority ethnic thinking about joining Essex Police?

If you are thinking about applying – do it. It doesn’t matter who you are or where you are from, if you want to help people and have the right values then this is the job for you. There are so many brilliant opportunities within Essex Police and different pathways you can take. It is a career for life and the most rewarding yet challenging job ever. If you want something exciting, different, fun and challenging – this is the job for you.