In this Policing TV interview, Alex Franklin-Smith, former Chief Constable of Warwickshire Police and now with Salesforce, reflects on the early stages of his policing career and the leadership lessons that shaped him. Speaking from Warwickshire Police headquarters at Leek Wootton, Alex looks back on joining policing, his time in Surrey, West Mercia, the National Crime Agency and Warwickshire, and why the variety and excitement of the job first drew him in.
The conversation also explores Alex’s early experience as a detective sergeant, when he found himself supervising officers with far more experience than he had, and what that taught him about motivation, leadership and adapting to different people. The interview then turns to one of the most significant moments of his senior career: the breakdown of the Warwickshire and West Mercia alliance, the uncertainty that followed and the lessons that experience may hold for future police reform and possible force mergers.
Key takeaways
- Alex originally considered joining Hampshire Police before eventually becoming a special and then joining Surrey Police.
- The variety and excitement of frontline policing were major reasons he chose a policing career.
- Alex initially thought he might only stay in policing for two or three years but went on to serve for almost 24 years.
- Becoming a detective sergeant gave him an early and challenging introduction to leadership.
- Leading much more experienced officers taught him the importance of understanding what motivates different people.
- Alex says policing has changed dramatically since he joined, particularly in the investment now made in leadership development.
- He believes effective leaders must adapt and evolve rather than rely on one fixed leadership style.
- The collapse of the Warwickshire-West Mercia alliance created a chaotic and uncertain environment with important lessons for future police reform.
Chapters
00:33 – Meet Alex Franklin-Smith
04:00 – From Surrey Police to Chief Constable
06:28 – The experiences that shaped his career
07:15 – Becoming a young detective sergeant
09:40 – Leading people with more experience than you
10:38 – How police leadership has changed
12:11 – The Warwickshire-West Mercia alliance
15:27 – What police reform can learn from the past
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