Inside Counter Terrorism Policing – A Podcast Series
Every day, women across Counter Terrorism Policing work to keep the public safe from terrorism and play a crucial part in protecting the UK’s national security.
However, it isn’t always easy to talk about what they do publicly. So, in this special podcast series, we will reveal what it’s really like to tackle the terrorist threat as your day job.
Across five episodes, you will hear from women who work in intelligence, investigations, forensics, countering extreme right-wing terrorism, and covert surveillance.
Every Thursday, we will drop a new episode:
- 6 March – Emma: the woman recruiting our covert human sources
- 13 March – Jo: from a rural town to banning extremist groups
- 20 March – Jess: the woman leading counter terrorism investigations
- 27 March – Heidi: Secondary school teacher turned intelligence analyst
- 3 April – Cassandra: 40 years of forensics and CSI, giving a voice to those who no longer have one
You can find and listen to Inside Counter Terrorism Policing wherever you get your podcasts:
Episode One: Emma: the woman recruiting our covert human sources
In episode 1, you will hear from someone who can never discuss a lot of what she does. She has worked in cybercrime teams tackling sexual predators, then moved into counter terrorism surveillance, and is now in human intelligence, working as a handler of covert sources.
Episode Two: Jo: From the physio table to outlawing terror groups
In episode 2, you will hear from ‘Jo’ who began her journey as a police officer and is now an expert in extreme right-wing terrorism. Throughout her journey, Jo has worked in prisons, with serious and organised crime, and has recently helped secure the banning of Terrorgram, now an illegal terrorist organisation in the UK.
Guides are being shared to do with firearms or bombs. But that might have been one that was always used in the Islamist space. But the right-wing space are now sharing it as well, because it’s not black and white anymore.
Before joining CTP, ‘Jo’ started her policing journey as a response officer where she experienced a huge range of incidents and investigations, including the most distressing case of her career.
Episode Three: Jess: From a night shift response officer to bringing down international terrorists
In episode three you will hear about the gruelling and intense life of a senior investigating officer (SIO). ‘Jess’ is a Counter Terrorism Policing (CTP) SIO who shares what it’s like to lead high-profile terrorism investigations.
Sometimes when I get work phone calls out of hours and you’re really worried before you answer it, ‘Is someone going to tell me that one of my people that I have under investigation, one of my subjects of interest, has done something?
Jess became a detective in the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) at Charing Cross where she experienced a whole range of jobs from pickpockets, bar brawls, ‘smash and grabs’ at high-end luxury stores, and she even dealt with a few celebrities in her time there. ‘Jess’ then made the switch to CTP and put her investigative experience to good use by becoming a senior investigating officer.
Seen or heard something that doesn’t feel right?
We need your help to stop terrorists being able to plan, prepare and carry out attacks, groom or recruit people or encourage others to carry out attacks. You may have seen or heard something that could be that vital piece of information that will help to stop a terrorist attack.
Report online at gov.uk/ACT
If you see or hear something that doesn’t feel right, report it online and in confidence at gov.uk/ACT
In an emergency call 999.
ACT Early
If you are concerned that a loved one may be vulnerable to radicalisation, visit ACT Early for further information on signs to look out for and how to seek support.
ProtectUK
Whether you are a business owner, work in security, or are a member of the public, ProtectUK provides vital counter terrorism security information including training materials, protective guidance, and campaign toolkits.