LOSING her mother to suicide when she was just 11 years old created an inner desire to join the world of policing when she was old enough. 

When Natalie Fisher lost her mother, she was  dismayed by the lack of compassion expressed by the attending police officer. It made her want to make a difference to others who might be in a similar situation. 

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She said: “I have been a Special Constable for 15 years; the last four have been in Wiltshire. I policed for another force for 11 years but my last four have been in Wiltshire. As my children grew, I felt I needed to police a little further away from home." 

With four children and a job on an NHS maternity ward, Natalie works as a member of Wiltshire’s Special Constabulary.

Natalie said: “My wish to become a Special Constable began years ago when I was 11. My mum sadly took her own life and that was my first ever interaction with a police officer. I felt the attending officer lacked compassion and kindness in a time that was so frightening and traumatic.

“From that moment, I knew I wanted to help a family should they sadly be in the same situation, as I knew how it felt and remember it vividly 27 years later.”

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The training provided by Wiltshire Police enabled Natalie to work her studies around the school runs and main job and since joining as a Special Constable, she has attended similar incidences to her own. She admitted it is always at the back of her mind when she meets people at that difficult time.

Natalie said: “I have been in the NHS for 18 years and find that a lot of my skills in each job are often transferable. I am a Special Constable attached to a response team and so we attend 999 calls.

“During the shift, we as a team, can be tasked to anything such as an escaped cow on a busy road, a domestic violence incident or a drink driver that may have had a road traffic collision.

“I feel the care I give to a labouring woman is similar to that of a person trapped in a car awaiting the fire services arrival. People who may have just been assaulted can behave in a similar way to that of parents suddenly having a poorly new-born baby.

Specials are volunteers but have the same powers and responsibilities as regular officers and carry out the same roles.

She added: “Being a Special Constable means you gain valuable life skills as well as enhancing future job prospects.”