What’s your name, where are you from and what do you do?
My name is Owen Buffery, I am a Police Constable for Durham Constabulary and I live in Cullercoats, Tyne and Wear. I have been a Police Constable for 2 years, and before that I was a Special Constable for 5 years, working closely with Northumbria Police, and I also worked full time as a Bar Manager.
How many hours do you work a week?
On average in a typical working week, I work around 55hours, not taking into account overtime and late finishes.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
In my spare time, I tend to go to the gym around 5 times a week, socialise with friends by going out for the odd beer or two, and play football on a weekly basis. Not to mention having some downtime at home, playing my PS4 when I get chance.
When was the last time you felt like you were in danger and what happened?
Policing in this era is a dangerous job now due to a number of cuts to public sector funding. I have not felt in danger yet as most scenarios I have managed to calm down before being escalated. I have been threatened numerous times with violence and blunt objects, but never so much to feel in danger.
What did you have for dinner last night and how would you rate it on a tripadvisor level of review?
I had Aubergine Moussaka yesterday evening. It was delightful, and a definitely 4 ½ out of 5.
Do you think there’s a problem with being called to jobs that aren’t important enough for police time and if so can you emphasise upon that?
There seems to be a massive drain on resources that are deployed to incidents that do not warrant a Police response. Case and point unfortunately, people receiving unwanted messages via social media, and parking disputes that could be resolved on a local level. This is all due to a lack of common sense from people who dial 101 or 999 to report an issue, without attempting to deal with the issue themselves before seeking external help.
What was the last film you watched and what was the best bit?
The last film I watched was Taxi Driver (1973) starring Robert De Niro. I couldn’t pick a best part as it was my first time watching the film, however due to De Niro being one of my favourite actors, I enjoyed it thoroughly.
How does your constabulary practice diversity within the POC and LGBT communities?
LGBT and POC communities are practiced on a regular basis within our Constabulary. There are regular meetings that are held at the forces headquarters, along with pride marches on the LGBT side. There is an LGBT association which is ran by force ambassadors, which regularly promote their policies.
Where do you live and what’s your house like?
I live in Cullercoats, a fishing village by the coast in the area of North Tyneside. The house I live in is a 3 bedroom terraced house just by the local transport links.
What is the worst injury you have obtained since working and what happened?
The worst injury I have sustained so far is a bite to my left knee. I sustained this as a result of effecting an arrest on a suspect for criminal damage. Information was passed that the callers ex-partner was outside the address, intoxicated and making threats to cause damage to the property. I attended with a crew mate and when I got to the scene I noticed that there was damage to the kitchen window at the front of the address. I approached the male, and asked him to show me his hands. When I got closer the male became aggressive, to a point that I had to use force and take him to the floor. During the scuffle on the ground, I managed to get the male onto his front in an attempt to apply handcuffs to the rear. When doing so, the male managed to move his head near to my knee and bit hard. This drew blood and broke the skin, resulting in me having to go for tetanus shots.
It wasn’t the physical implication of the assault, as it was more the mental aspect too, as I did not know whether the male had any contagious diseases.
What was the last song you listened and where were you when listening to it?
The last song I listened to was Amerrikan Idol by Joey Bada$$. This was on the way to work this morning in the car.
Have you ever had to help someone in need due to online bullying?
Yes. The most recent incident involved a person being bullied via a well-known social media site. The victim of this online bullying was extremely upset and disclosed to me that she had thoughts of harming herself due to being bullied on a regular basis. I spoke to her for over an hour in person and managed to calm her down, then gave her advice to block the people on social media causing her anxiety. I also passed her a number for the crisis team, a service which helps in suicide prevention when persons have thoughts to harm themselves.
Have you been trained in suicide prevention?
There was no formal training given in suicide prevention however there have been some circulars passed through the force documenting the crisis team number for people who are in crisis. Also the street triage team are always on duty, able to speak to people who are struggling with thoughts to harm.
What is your favourite flavour of ice cream?
Mint chocolate chip, no discussion
Can you remember a time your constabulary gave/supported the local community?
Durham Constabulary supports their local community on a regular basis, with specific neighbourhood teams to support neighbourhood areas with ongoing issues such as anti-social behaviour. Stanley neighbourhood Policing team have footage of neighbourhood officers dealing with ongoing issues at Stanley bus station. Feel free to have a look!
What do you enjoy about your job the most?
I enjoy that no two days are the same throughout the week. I like constantly learning, and being able to give something back, along with helping people who are in need of our help. I enjoy working with different units on a regular basis, along with the shift patterns being different to that of a normal 9-5 job.
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