Side by Side in Service: A Mother–Daughter Policing Journey

Mother’s Day is a chance to celebrate the people who shape us, and for PCSO Joanne and our Head of Specialist Safeguarding, Charlotte, that connection now runs through their shared world of policing. One supports vulnerable people face‑to‑face in her neighbourhood, while the other works behind the scenes to protect those most at risk.
For this blog, we joined Charlotte and Joanne as they reflected on how a late‑career leap brought Joanne into policing, the inspiration she unknowingly gave her daughter, and the unexpected pride of becoming colleagues within the same policing family.

What motivated you to join policing later in life, and how has stepping into neighbourhood policing as a PCSO felt, especially with your daughter influencing your journey?

Joanne: After more than twenty years working with Special Educational Needs (SEN) pupils and leading a team of teaching assistants, I began to feel a pull toward trying something new. I loved my job, but I wanted a fresh challenge. Charlotte had been encouraging me for years to visit the TVP website, convinced that my skills would translate well to policing. Our roles often overlapped. I’d ask her advice on safeguarding, and she’d guide me to the right people to support the families I was working with. It made me realise my experience could fit well into the world of policing.

When PCSO roles were advertised, Charlotte talked me through the job description and pointed out how many of the qualities needed were ones I already had. That was the moment I started to believe I could actually do it. Age wasn’t a barrier for me; leaving a job I loved was the scary part, but I still wanted a career with purpose, not just a routine. Becoming a PCSO felt like the right step.

I’ve always been proud of Charlotte, especially her achievement at Cambridge University, but I’m proud every day of the work she does at TVP. Her role is demanding and exhausting at times, yet she never complains. Seeing her dedication has been one of my biggest inspirations.

Charlotte at her graduation ceremony with Joanne and her dad

What was it like watching your mother join the police?

Charlotte: Despite all our conversations about policing over the years, Mum applied for the PCSO role completely under the radar. I only found out she had an interview when she asked for practical advice on parking at the station, but it instantly felt like the right move for her. Having worked in Contact Management and now in Specialist Safeguarding, I’ve always understood the value PCSOs bring to neighbourhoods, and I’ve felt confident recommending this role to her.

Mum had spent decades supporting young people and their families in both hospitals and schools, so stepping into a role where she could continue to support those same communities, just in a different context, made complete sense. The role plays directly to her strengths. She’s practical, calm under pressure, a natural problem solver, and far happier out in the community than indoors. What’s been most rewarding is watching her take on something completely new at this stage in her career. It’s rare to see a parent embrace such a significant challenge, especially in a profession as demanding and fast-paced as policing, and it’s been exciting to watch her make this new chapter her own.

What has working in the same organisation taught you about each other that you didn’t fully appreciate before?

Joanne: Working in the same organisation has shown me a new side of Charlotte’s professionalism. She’s been incredibly patient, helping me with things like communicating with Control and getting confident with the radio. I always knew she was good at her job, but now I see just how skilled and knowledgeable she really is.

Is there a moment from the past year that made you especially proud of each other as colleagues as well as family?

Charlotte: One of the moments that made me proudest was seeing Mum in the market square during a “Have Your Say” event. It was the first time I’d seen her in uniform in my own community, not just as my mum but as the local PCSO. My dog, however, was far less discreet –  his over-the-top excitement at recognising her slightly undermined my attempt to blend into the crowd.

What’s been especially rewarding is hearing the impact she’s had from people who have no idea we’re related. My village is incredibly close-knit, so overhearing neighbours in the pub talk about the increase in police visibility, or listening to the landlord praising the drug swipes carried out by “their new PCSO,” has been really meaningful. She even made it into the local newsletter this month, which says a lot about how quickly she’s become part of the community. Hearing all of that as both a colleague and a daughter has been a genuine source of pride, not because anyone knows we’re family, but because she’s earned that reputation entirely through her own work.

Joanne (on the right) with her colleague during her PCSO foundation training

Can you share a funny moment from working together?

Joanne: During my training at Sulhamstead, we watched a video from the Head of MASH. As it started, a colleague shouted, “Someone with the same surname as you … how funny!” It took me a moment to realise it was actually Charlotte. I told everyone she was my daughter, but no one believed me at first, as my northern accent and her much posher one didn’t help. It became a running joke for the rest of the day, and to make things even funnier, because of our ranks, if I ever had to speak to Charlotte in her professional capacity, I’d technically have to address her as Ma’am. The idea of calling my own daughter Ma’am still makes me laugh, and I’ll be doing everything I can to avoid that situation.

Charlotte: One of the unexpected quirks of working in the same organisation is that Mum regularly tests my Niche knowledge. She’ll ask me to decode abbreviations, translate TVP jargon, or give her local context for adults at risk or child exploitation issues on her patch. The upside is that her fresh perspective has highlighted several areas where MASH and neighbourhood policing could work together more effectively, and she never hesitates to point them out. It’s been genuinely helpful – but it has also created a new professional hazard for me: trying to reference her insights in meetings without accidentally starting a sentence with “Well, my mum said…”. Learning not to cite my own mother as a source on neighbourhood policing has been a surprisingly difficult habit to break.

A proud moment, Joanna received her PCSO graduation certificate

What will make this Mother’s Day feel meaningful for you both, now that you share not just a family bond but a policing bond too?

Joanne: Mother’s Day feels even more meaningful now that we share not just a family bond, but a place in the same policing family. We understand each other’s world in a new way,  the pressures, the long days and the rewards.

Charlotte: This is the first Mother’s Day where Mum is the one working shifts, which feels like a real role reversal after my 15 years of doing them. I spent many years working through Christmas, missing weekends, or sleeping through birthdays, the whole family having to adapt around my pattern, and now we’re adjusting to hers. What makes this Mother’s Day meaningful is that, at this stage in our lives, when I’ve lived away from the family home longer than I ever lived in it, we now share something that keeps us closely connected. Having a career in common means we understand each other’s pressures, the unpredictability of shift work, and the pride that comes with the job. It’s given us a shared language and deeper insight into each other’s worlds at a later stage in our relationship, and that’s something I really value.

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This Mother’s Day, let’s celebrate the love, strength, and support of all the mums who make a difference at home and in uniform. At TVP, we are always looking for people to be the difference they want to see in their communities.

To find out more about a policing career with TVP, please visit our TVP Careers Website