Kelvin Holdsworth

How long have you been working for Cambridgeshire Constabulary? 

I’ve been working for Cambridgeshire Constabulary for just over 8 years. I started out as Call Handler, and during my time as a Call Handler I assisted with training and staff inductions before applying to be a Supervisor. I’ve now been in this role for a little more than 4 years.

What would you say are the most important skills or traits you need to be a Supervisor?

Being approachable is what I see as the most important factor. We work in a busy and demanding environment where we make difficult decisions, and we have to do this at pace. It takes away so much pressure knowing that you have a trusted resource that wants to see you succeed, is accountable and wants you to make the right decisions.

A close second to this is fairness. Acting in a balanced consistent way and treating everyone with a basic level of respect whether they are member of the public or a colleague, goes a long way and cannot be underestimated.

How do you deal with (or help your team deal with) the more mentally challenging calls you receive?

There is no doubt that a lot of the work we deal with can be difficult. As a Supervisor I am deeply involved in reviewing and monitoring reports that the Call Handler’s receive. Some call types will be obviously distressing and some less obvious. We have a lot of support available as a force for people who have dealt with traumatic or distressing reports, and as a Supervisor I do a lot of work to make staff aware of what they can access. But just as crucial as this is being approachable (at the risk of sounding like I’m on repeat). If the people, you work with know they can talk to you about when they are struggling, and as a result of this get the right level of support then everyone is winning.

What do you think would surprise people about your job as a Supervisor?

The massive scope of knowledge that you gain being in the role. By the nature of the job, you are usually answering the more complex questions about the best way to deal with any given scenario. This means you have conversations with people with a wide variety of experience and expertise. It doesn’t take a great deal of time before you have an endless list of answers to incredibly obscure and niche areas of policing. The only thing you guarantee is that there will always be something that you don’t know but equally there will almost always be someone who does and is happy to help.