Cymdeithas iddewig yr heddlu

Police Sergeant Azaryoh Gardner, Greater Manchester Police   

What I enjoy most about being a police officer is strangely enough, not so much the lights and sirens and foot chases. It’s the camaraderie and team work along with the fact that you go through experiences that you just would never go through in any other job. It’s something that brings you together as a team, and that’s what keeps you going from day to day.

I’m Azaryoh Gardner, I’m currently a Police Sergeant with Greater Manchester Police.

I joined the Police Force because it was a childhood dream of mine, ever since I was very, very little, spent hours a day role playing being a police officer. Growing up where I did, I was subject to a lot of antisemitism and the police played quite a big role in my upbringing in the sense that they were very often attending my house to speak to me as a victim of crime. And it was something I always felt very supported and helped by and it’s something that I wanted to do for other people as well.

Police Constable, Yasmin Lermer, Hertfordshire Constabulary

My name is Yasmin Lermer, I am police constable in the Safer Neighbourhood team.

Jewish values include things like community caring for people during hard times, really reaching out which is all things that I’ve passed over onto my job. As a Neighbourhood Officer particularly I’ve been able to help people during hard times, during vulnerabilities, be able to be that person they can trust.

For someone wanting to join the police service, I’d say there is definitely no one mould. We need to be serving the public in a force that represents them. It’s difficult to engage with people where you don’t have any understanding of their culture, of their faith, of their religion, anything. Whereas, when we are a representative force we can be way more efficient and effective to the public we serve.

Police Sergeant Azaryoh Gardner, Greater Manchester Police  

When I have come across Jewish people in my role as a Police Officer, I tend to find their reaction is one of delight at seeing a religious Jewish Officer. There is such a diverse of Police Officers who come in all shapes and sizes, there is space for everybody, and we all have different experiences to share which makes us strong together.

So in terms of accommodating my religious requirements, I would say the number one thing is working on the Saturday and the 13 festival days that there are in the Jewish calendar. We managed to sort out a flexible working pattern which accommodated all of the religious days. They’ve always been very quick to ensure that all processes are all ironed out well in advance. Ensuring that I can have those days as rest days making up those shifts elsewhere.

Police Constable, Yasmin Lermer, Hertfordshire Constabulary

The force have always been really encouraging of me to build that relationship with the Jewish community and the Synagogue. My Sergeants have allowed me to change my shifts so that I am able to visit the community, visit the synagogue, build those ties.

It’s really important because they make sure that the Jewish community can trust the police. And having that Jewish officer there has been great for community engagement and relationship building as well as trust.

Police Sergeant Azaryoh Gardner, Greater Manchester Police  

In my force area where there is a large Jewish community it’s imperative that there’s Jewish officers, where people feel comfortable that they are being policed by people who understand their religion and their culture. And it’s been fantastic to have some sort of influence on that. Being able to make the place where you live especially a better place has got to be at the heart of what you do.

Video ends with the Jewish Police Association and Be the Difference police recruitment campaign logos.

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