Realising his potential – Chief Inspector Gassan Shaladan

Realising his potential – Chief Inspector Gassan Shaladan

Years of service: 20
Age at joining: 20

In just under 10 years of policing career, our colleague Gassan has progressed from Police Constable to Chief Inspector; we recently spoke with him about how he is realising his potential at TVP.

Is this the path that you expected to take in your career?

When I was younger, I was considering law and practising as a barrister. There was a part of me that realised I much preferred being on the other side, being hands on, and I realised that once I joined the police. Policing is such a unique profession to be involved in, the response that’s required whilst in the role is continuously different and it challenges you. Policing definitely captures you and changes you, because of what you get exposed to and what you see, It’s just a wealth of different experiences that really enlighten you.

How do you feel you are realising your career in policing?

The one thing that really jumps out is that opportunities are there if you want to take them. In 10 years I’ve gone from a PC to a Chief Inspector, now that’s my own choice. I’ve challenged myself and I’ve worked hard, as I knew I was capable of performing at those roles and ranks. I’ve never felt like there is anything that’s stopping me from achieving what I want to achieve other than me. And that’s something that I think is really great. In TVP in particular, I think we’ve got a great ethos around supporting people that want to achieve and develop, like when  I decided to do a master’s degree in policing, TVP supported me financially and with leave to attend the course. I think that’s quite unique to Thames Valley Police, we pride ourselves on trying to develop those people who want to be developed.

What do you think about the range of opportunities available in policing?

The opportunities are so vast; you just need to choose what works for you. What you want to do is encouraged. Funnily enough, I’ve just changed roles, moving from my role as Deputy LPA Commander for the South Buckinghamshire Local Policing Area (LPA) into a role which is Change Management, looking at how the force is evolving as an organisation.  This is a huge shift and gives me the opportunity to see aspects of policing I have never experienced before. As a deputy commander for a local policing area, I have been managing operational policing and staff, and I’m now moving into something completely different. It’s exciting. It’s new. And it’s continuously challenging.

I think TVP is definitely at the forefront of pushing people in different directions, challenging them and trying to help develop them.

Do you still have ambitions for your career?

I definitely have aspirations. I am a Chief inspector and I think I’d like to continue to challenge myself and to develop into other ranks and roles. I think there are two things I consider in terms of my ambitions.  The aspirations that I set and how I challenge myself to achieve them and secondly, the support from the organisation and senior colleagues to help steer me in the right direction.

What do you wish someone would have told you at the beginning of your career in policing?

I wish someone would have told me to not listen so much to others’ opinion and to be a bit more true to yourself and what you want to achieve. I was a PC for about 10 years and I had a great time. But I wish I had really started to take my step into leading and managing earlier because I really enjoy doing it

What would you say to someone considering policing?

Just do it, in simple terms. Policing is a difficult job and it’s testing in ways that you don’t know until you’re there, doing the job. But it’s one of the most rewarding and challenging careers that you could ever be a part of and it’s one of the most unique roles that you could ever perform. The part you play in society and the responsibility of trying to make things better for the communities you serve is unlike any other job. That responsibility rests on you, regardless of what rank you are, that’s the draw for me.

If you are looking for a career that really does give you a huge amount of variety and opportunities, then policing is the career for you. It’s definitely something that I would really recommend.

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Thames Valley Police (TVP) is actively looking for people to be the difference they want to see in their communities. To find out more about a policing career with TVP – including the realities of working on response, initial training, and to apply to become a Police Officer please visit our Police Officer page