Professor Jackie Sebire is a former United Kingdom Chief Police Officer with an extensive track record of operational and strategic leadership, as well as academic research. Jackie specialises in executive leadership training and crisis management, and is currently Head of Department at Abu Dhabi Police’s training establishment, Rabdan Academy.

In this video – part two of a three part series for PolicingTV – Professor Jackie Sebire continues in conversation with PolicingTV Founder Bernard Rix, here talking primarily about her earlier policing career prior to joining Rabdan Academy, which followed an undergraduate degree at the University of Cambridge, and a Doctorate (PhD) in Domestic Abuse Homicide.

“Most of my policing colleagues, when I first joined [the police], said ‘What are you doing here?!’ [Firstly] because I don’t think they had ever met anybody who had been to Cambridge before, and [also] it was very very unusual for someone from Oxbridge to go in to policing at the very basic, Probationer level, where you’re rolling around on the floor with drunks…”

“I always knew I wanted to be a Detective!”

“I did my Masters and PhD whilst I was working, which was a feat and a half in itself!” “There’s something really important about going in and doing the basics, understanding the basics. It gave me credibility, authenticity, I knew what I was talking about. And that’s been such an important part of my career, all the way through. I’ve experienced it, and then been able to teach it, and lead it.”

“There were times when I thought about going, frustrating times. But you always go back to ‘Well, why did I join?’. And I joined to help people – you know, all of those things that people say!”

“There were some amazing people that did support me, and did help me achieve things. So, whilst there were dark times… I wouldn’t be where I am now, had it not been for some extraordinary men and women intervening and giving me support.”

“I wish someone had told me these two things…”