Policing Your Future

(I’m just about to finish secondary school when each student receives a meeting with the careers advisor about future career paths and employability schemes. I’m around 16 years old at the time, female, and 5ft 1in.)

Teacher: “So, do you have any idea what you want to do as a career in the future?”

Me: “I’ve always wanted to join the police service.”

Teacher: *looks me up and down* “I don’t think I could see you becoming a police officer.”

Me: “Well, do you think you could point me to the right direction of how to join?”

Teacher: “Like I said, I don’t see you as a police officer. Maybe you should try something else that you’d actually succeed at?”

Me: *visibly annoyed and hurt* “Thanks for your help but I think I can manage this on my own.”

(The kicker? I went on to study public services in college, police studies in university, and graduated with a First Class Honours Degree. I joined the police at age 21, sat my sergeant’s exam seven years later, and got promoted. I also visited that school as part of an open day, and gave a speech telling the school to never give up on their dreams. The teacher was visibly shocked to say the least!)