Gloucestershire Constabulary is highlighting some of the roles carried out by women in the force in a bid to inspire more women to apply for police roles when recruitment opens later this month.

In recent years more and more women have been joining Gloucestershire Police, and many female officers already with the force have been applying for promotion into higher positions.

Gloucestershire Police would like to see this trend continue, so the varied and exciting roles open to female officers are being highlighted on the force website (see link below).

One of the officers featured, PC Shelly Williams, is an off road motorcyclist who became a police officer in May 2005.

PC Williams carries out the usual duties of a front line police officer, and uses her biking skills on specific operations targeting anti-social behaviour, criminal damage and anti-social use of vehicles.

PC Williams said: “I really enjoy being able to ride a motorbike at work. I am seriously into motorcycles outside of work and regularly ride my own on the road and on track. Being able to do something I enjoy and get paid for it is great.

“I would like to eventually specialise in roads policing and ultimately become a main road motorcyclist. My ambition is to become the first female main road motorcyclist in Gloucestershire Police.”

PC Claire Todd became a dog handler in 2004, after wanting to do the job since she was 11-years-old.

Her police dog Fizz lives at home with her and they trained together for 13 weeks.

The types of incidents PC Todd and Fizz regularly take part in are searches for suspects or missing people, public order incidents and searching properties for evidence.

PC Todd said: “I have the best job in the world which has exceeded all my expectations.”