Force Crime Registrar: How my team convinced me to take the challenge

When it comes to ensuring crimes are recorded correctly in Derbyshire, there is one person in force who makes the final decisions.

The Force Crime Registrar (FCR) role is one that comes with a lot of responsibility,  making these final decisions as well as re-classifying crimes and looking at trends – which all goes towards understanding what the people of Derbyshire need and making sure that, especially when it comes to victims, they receive a service that is right for them.

The FCR reins are currently held by Claire Brown who, alongside a small team of auditors, works hard every day to ensure there is an accurate picture of crime in Derbyshire presented to chief officers. This then helps to map out what the force prioritises.

Fresh into policing in 2009, Claire has a legal background and has worked with the likes of HR Revenue and Customs, central government and East Midlands airport before delving into the world of policing.

She said: "I'd done financial auditing for a number of years - having first done some diverse operational roles before moving up and going on to audit some large companies.

"I fancied something different. I actually had wanted to work for the police for a while and the timing was just right to make the move when an auditor role came up. This was a slight side-step for me, but I went for it, got it and it was foot in the door.

"There were a lot of transferrable skills I brought over, but policing was quite a new world to me. I was very lucky to have been supported greatly by the FCR at the time, who showed me the ropes and practically taught me everything I know about the role today.

"Very quickly, there were opportunities for progression once I'd got into the swing of things, too.

"Initially I was nervous when it came to going for the FCR role - which opened up on a temporary basis due to paternity leave. However, the team really convinced me to go for it - which is something I've found great about Derbyshire, you feel very supported. It is also the first time a woman has taken on the FCR role in Derbyshire which is something I'm really proud of.

"FCRs also have to be accredited by the College of Policing, so it was great to have been supported by Derbyshire to do my exams and get this accreditation once I moved up.

"Day to day, we look at incidents and crimes in Derbyshire, including reports from various partners, to determine if the information disclosed amounts to a crime and, if so, what crime. We are victim focused and report findings to the Chief Officer Team, which informs strategic decisions and force priorities. In addition to this, Derbyshire's crime figures are sent to the Home Office, so it is extremely important we get it right.

"Like any job in policing, no two days are the same, but that's what makes working in policing exciting - the challenges and the different things you have to tackle. 

"For anyone thinking of joining the force, I'd say just go for it. Don't think if you're doing a completely different job that it will be a barrier - there are always skills you've learned that can be used on the job. We've had people on our team come in from retail who have researched and made sure they've got that knowledge, brought it to interview and absolutely smashed it.

"Like it did for me, it can take time to learn the job, especially if it’s very different, but if you know what you want to do and you're passionate about it and you've researched it, you stand a good chance."

If you want to find out more about a career with Derbyshire Constabulary, visit our careers page.