Meet our new head of Operations
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A Chief Superintendent with more than 20 years’ service has taken over the role as our new head of Operations.
Chief Superintendent Helen Bailey will oversee the Operations Unit which includes Firearms, Dogs, Roads Policing, Football Unit, Safer Travel, Drones, Operational Support Unit and Birmingham Airport.
Helen joined the force in December 2002. Her first set of shifts were in Birmingham where she was deployed following a fatal shooting. Helen’s role was to offer reassurance to the local community following the tragic double murder of two young women.
Those first shifts will forever stay with Helen who was a similar age to the victims when they died.
“I remember feeling overwhelmed by the sense of responsibility in wearing the uniform, but also proud to think of the difference I could make to that community who were shattered by what had happened,” she said.
Helen started her policing career as police staff after leaving university and starting work in the criminal records bureau.
She was soon inspired to become a police officer to make a difference, not just to the communities of the West Midlands, but also within the police where she took on roles such as Head of People Services, recruitment, and Criminal Justice.
Helen is passionate about getting the most out of people and is looking forward to working with the incredible teams that fall under the Operations umbrella.
“I am hugely excited to work alongside all the highly qualified and specialist staff we have in ops that like all police officers, put their lives at risk to protect the public every day.
“From our Roads Policing, our dogs and horses and the dedicated staff that put in a lot of work to look after them, to our highly trained firearms officers and staff that look after our airport and public transport. Our Operations Unit is made up of people who truly love their job and are passionate about helping people.”
Our Ops Unit has one of the most diverse units in the force with six of our teams headed up by female leaders including our dogs and firearms unit. Over the coming months, we will be showcasing the work they and their teams do to keep the public safe.
Interested in becoming a police officer and one day joining our amazing Ops Unit? Find out more here.