PC Karen Giles, the Metropolitan Police's longest-serving officer, celebrated 50 years on the force at a surprise party at New Scotland Yard on Tuesday. The 68-year-old, who joined the Met in 1976, defended her colleagues against misconceptions of being narrow-minded, stating that officers are often undervalued.
PC Giles defends police officers' character
Speaking at the event, PC Giles told the Press Association: "I've never met people as broad-minded, as tolerant, and kind as the people I've met in the police service, both police staff and police officers. People willing to put themselves at risk. People doing really kind things. Just doing ordinary things on a daily basis to try and help people, and it goes unrecognised." She emphasised that the work of police officers is frequently "undersold."
A career as a police constable
PC Giles has served as a police constable her entire career across various London boroughs, describing PCs as the "backbone" of the force. "I love being a Pc. I've had a wonderful time as a Pc. I just think it's what keeps the Metropolitan Police and all the other police services going," she said. Her favourite posting was in the Community Safety Unit, where she helped victims of domestic abuse.
Changes in policing: technology and social media
Reflecting on changes over five decades, PC Giles noted that social media has made policing more complex. "We sort people's problems out. We deal with domestics. We deal with people who take other people's property. It's basically the same, except obviously for online crime. But I think the biggest change is technology," she said. "Social media makes it very, very complex and difficult to deal with people. I think it's very difficult to get to the truth of what's happening."
Female officer in the 1970s
PC Giles did not feel isolated as a female officer in the 1970s, noting that 25 of the 60 officers in her intake at Hendon Police College were women. "It's ups and downs, you know. And I've always felt able to deal with things if there have been incidents. If people have ever said or done anything, I've taken it up with them," she said.
Surprise celebration with family and colleagues
The surprise party was organised by her daughter Jennifer Sharpling, 40, a serving police officer, who said her mother's service was "unbelievable." She recalled that when her mother was pregnant, colleagues assumed she would leave the job, but she persisted. "Even when things sort of get a bit hard, and they were for women when she joined, and actually even up until relatively recently, and she just always kept going," Ms Sharpling said.
Sheila Fellows-Turnbull, 70, a former colleague who served alongside PC Giles in the late 1970s, attended the event. She described PC Giles as "humble" about her achievements. "She's done so much, and she is very understated about it as well. I find out things about her all the time, bear in mind, we've been alongside each other since the late 70s," she said.
Assistant Commissioner praises service
Assistant Commissioner Matt Twist, responsible for all borough policing in London, called PC Giles's service "absolutely astonishing." He thanked her in front of friends and family, saying: "I wanted to take today to one invite you here to say thank you for 50 years of service." When asked about her future plans, PC Giles replied: "Keep coming to work!" to which Twist responded: "As long as you keep coming, we'll keep paying you."
