Careers Story- Meet Rai Bhupinder

In this blog, we speak with one of Thames Valley Police’s most senior ethnic minority officers, a Chief Superintendent with 30 years of service. From starting at the age of 22 to leading Local Policing today, Rai shares her journey, the challenges she’s faced, and why policing remains the most rewarding career she’s known. Rai reflects on what’s changed over three decades and offers honest advice for anyone from a Black, Asian, or ethnic minority background considering a role in the police.

Rai Bhupinder

Roles: I am currently a Chief Superintendent and Head of Local Policing. Before this, I held several senior roles, including Superintendent and Head of Roads Policing, Detective Superintendent and Head of Force Criminal Investigation Department, and Area Commander for both Reading and the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead.

Age at joining: 22

Length of Service: 30yrs

What do you want people to know about what it’s like being a TVP officer from a Black/ Asian Ethnic minority background?

Throughout my career, I have honestly felt like TVP is a family. Like all families, it does have its ups and downs, but when you need help and support, the people wrap assurance and care around you, supporting you when things are hard and standing tall with you when things go well. It is the best organisation I have ever worked for.

What challenges/ barriers did you face as a Black/ Asian Ethnic Minority Background?

The hardest challenge was acceptance from my own communities that I was still part of them. I had not ’switched sides’. The judgement of being a serving police officer when many in my community still felt that policing was unfair and racist in nature was challenging to deal with.

Internally, the challenge was always about trying to ensure that I could easily and effectively demonstrate that my successes were because of my own determination and competence. I say this because I cannot count how many times I have heard that I only succeeded because of my ethnicity and gender. I have always had to prove that was not the case.

Do/ did you feel supported in your workplace?

Almost always. Ironically, the white men in the organisation supported me more than anyone else. It was often difficult to get support from peers of my own background because, especially later in my career, there were very few others of similar rank. The only thing regarding support that I would say I felt very disappointed about was the Police Federation. They rarely seemed to support anyone of colour adequately.

Best moment of your career so far?

Being awarded the Queen’s Police Medal, hands down!

What is the best piece of advice you can give to anyone from a Black/ Asian Ethnic Minority background considering joining the force?

Think carefully before you decide that this is the career for you. It requires resilience, patience, and tolerance, and can be very challenging indeed. That said, it is the most rewarding career a person can ask for. You get to help people every single day, and each day is different.

I would recommend it to people of ethnic minority backgrounds. Change from within, changing the hearts and minds of those who are in the force, is what drives long-term, sustained improvement.

There are many career opportunities in policing. Would you consider any in particular in the future?

Maybe some advocacy, but not much else. Time for me to relax and enjoy life a bit, I think.

When you look back on when you first joined, do you believe things have changed or are changing?

I joined in 1992. Things were significantly different. The justice system as a whole did not deal with racist beavhoiur in the way it should be. There were so few ethnic minority officers, and it was not a career particularly approved of in my culture. That has all changed. What is great to see is the progression of ethnic minority staff and officers into roles where they have the opportunity to make a difference, to drive change. SAME, the staff support network, was also not in existence then, nor was the British Parking Association. All valuable additions supporting and caring for those who need it, holding the organisation to account.

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If you’re ready to make a difference and be part of a rewarding career that challenges and inspires you every day, why not join us as a Police Officer?

To find out more about a policing career with TVP – including the realities of working on a response, initial training, and applying to become a Police Officer, please visit our Police Officer page.