Q: What are the first things people ask you?
A : Very young children ask me have you caught a robber and weather I carry guns. Yes, I've caught a robber and no I don't carry guns.
Q : How many people have you arrested?
A: It's very difficult to say, but I would say that we arrest around 3 or 4 people a month. I was on the beat for about 12/13 years. Since I have been in the School Liaison Department I haven't arrested anybody.
Q: Are drugs illegal?
A: Some drugs are. We've got legal drugs like coffee, deodorants the drugs that have some conditions to them such as cigarettes and alcohol then you've got drugs you have from a doctor or over a counter, but certain drugs such as heroin, those kind of drugs you can't buy over the counter and yes they are illegal.
Q: What do you think about drugs?
A: Drugs in the right hands are fine they can be a lot of help to people but obviously illegal drugs those are not monitored, they are not controlled and people don't know what their taking so I'm against those.
Q: Have you arrested someone who had drugs on them?
A: Yes I have. Over 15 years it would be very difficult to estimate how many people. Sometimes when we stop a car we can smell drugs in the vehicle and we make a search and then maybe make an arrest and sometimes our drug arrests are as a result of information received and maybe we'd take out a warrant arrest and take the drug dogs with us - that would be a bigger operation.
Q: Have you caught anybody stealing from another person?
A: Yes. Sometimes we are called to shops because sometimes they suspect people have been stealing from the shops. Other times people will ring us up because somebody has broken in to their houses, garden sheds or their car and stolen goods from there. Over the years I've arrested quite a few people because if they are stealing property that belongs to somebody else it's not fair on the person who's worked hard to gain the goods in the first place. You're not allowed to steal so they have to be arrested.
Q: What do you do when you see a shoplifter?
A: Basically people aren't allowed to take goods out of the shop without paying for them. If I suspect someone has shoplifted from the shop I'd have to wait until they've left the premises to make sure they've had an opportunity to pay and haven't done so then I would go up to them and identify myself to them as a police officer and tell them that I suspected they've stolen the goods. Then they would be arrested and taken back to the police station so we could investigate the matter properly.
Q: Have you ever been punched in a crime scene?
A: No, because like any other member of the community thinking about my own safety is high on the agenda and I really do have to think before I go into a situation - how safe am I going to be and I have to think how I respond to people - making sure I don't make the situation worse either by what I say or what I do, or perhaps how I stand. So we try to be really, really careful.
Q: Have you had to chase anybody?
A: Yes I've chased a 15 year old boy in Newtown. I chased him on foot and we'd been running for about 10 minutes to 15 minutes and to be honest I was getting quite puffed. He was quite fast but luckily for me he took the wrong turn and ended up running back towards me into my arms so I could arrest him there and then.
Q: Have you broken into many houses?
A: I have a few times because inside the premises there may be some people who are urgently in need of police assistance. In that situation we break in so we can give them help - obviously we don't break the biggest window we try to make it as economical as possible.
Q: Have you ever been in a police chase with a car?
A: I've driven once in a police pursuit and twice been the observer the person that sits in the passenger seat. It's a stressful situation. All three were nerve racking but I think I found being the driver the worst experience. Basically we must make sure that we keep the public safe in situations like that.
Q: Have you ever used a gun?
A: I've never used a gun. Only authorised police personnel are allowed to use guns; they obviously have a lot of training. To be perfectly honest I have no interest in that department, it's not for me.
Q: Have you ever seen people being shot?
A: No, but I have been in a situation, up in Hay on Wye where there were guns present but no shots were fired.
Q : Have you ever been under cover?
A : Yes twice. It was a very strange feeling. I was undercover outside a school and I've been undercover in a shop.
Q: Have you caught anyone street racing?
A: I haven't caught anyone street racing myself. Street racing, very often called boy racers, are an issue in the town of Cardigan. It is being addressed and plans are afoot to reduce the matter.
