Who are our local police officers, and what do they deal with day-to-day?

We've teamed up with North Yorkshire Police to introduce you to some of their officers. This semi-regular series will help you get to know them a little better.

This week... PC Steven Gillespie

Where do you work and what is your patch like?

I work as one of three community police officers working alongside Police Community Support Officers, covering the north side of York. My team is responsible for identifying and suppressing crime trends, and for taking a multi-agency, problem-solving approach to long-term community issues affecting the quality of life of residents.

Geographically, my patch is huge and covers Clifton up to Skelton, across as far as Kexby, and includes areas such as Wigginton and Strensall. Given the size of the area, the communities are incredibly diverse with residential areas, sporting venues and commercial areas closer to the city centre, and more rural areas further afield.

What’s the best thing about your job?

Every police officer would answer this question with the same answer – the variety – and the same is true with my role. To give a more role-specific answer, though, I’d have to say that responding to community issues, building up an accurate intelligence picture and smashing the door of a dealer’s home to seize their drugs stash and put them behind bars, always puts a smile on my face.  

What was your first arrest/issue you dealt with?

When I first joined North Yorkshire Police, I was part of an emergency response team. My first arrest was a man who had walked into a student house after the occupants had failed to lock their front door. Once inside he was disturbed by the occupants who screamed and he ran away. I found him hiding nearby and arrested him for attempted burglary. This was the first time I had cautioned anyone or taken their liberty from them, but I remember feeling proud that I had taken somebody off the street who had the audacity to enter somebody’s own home to steal things.

Now that I work within a community team, I am forever telling people to keep their front doors locked.     

And your most recent arrest/issue you dealt with?

I recently arrested a young boy who, unfortunately, has been slipping into a life of crime for some time now and is regularly coming to the police’s attention. I arrested, interview and charged him to court for an offence of cycle theft. My team is currently working with City of York Council, the Youth Offending Team and other agencies to obtain a Criminal Behaviour Order which will leave him subject to a number of prohibitions that are intended to limit his offending opportunities. 

Can you tell us about a funny incident that’s happened when you were on duty?

Ha! I did laugh when a bloke I was chasing in town turned to see how far behind him I was, only for him to run head first into a lamp post! That stopped him running any further and he must have been nursing a sore head for a few days afterwards.

What one message would you most like to get across to the public?

For the criminals…keep running into lamp posts!

And for everybody else… keep your front and back doors locked to prevent sneak-in burglaries, and invest in quality chains and D-locks to protect your bikes, even when stored in a garage.