Ewen Logie
Years of service: 19
Police Inspector Ewen Logie was part of the policing operation for the Queen’s Baton Relay for the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
What was your background before joining the police?
Before I joined the police I went to university where I studied Law. I joined the police after finishing my studies and travelling abroad. I had wanted to take some time out after university to travel the world a wee bit which was great but after travelling I was ready to come back and find a career.
What made you think of joining the police?
It wasn’t always a lifelong dream but at that stage in my life I researched in to it and it seemed to be a very good fit for me.
I think my background having studied law was useful in terms of developing the way you approach situations and consider things, but I think I was just willing to learn something new when I joined the police.
What do you enjoy most about being a police officer?
The part I enjoy most about being a police officer is the variety of things that you get to experience and also the people you meet on the journey.
What is your favourite part of your role?
At the moment I work within the People and Development team where I have been fortunate to have been involved in a variety of different areas of work ranging from implementing wellbeing initiatives, to developing new police officer conditions and even conducting recruitment interviews for new officers.
In that respect, it was strange to find myself sitting on the opposite side of the table from where I was 19 years ago when I joined but it was interesting to meet a lot of new people who are coming in to the job.
What’s been a stand out moment for you as a police officer?
My career highlight to date has been working on the Queen’s Baton Relay when the Commonwealth Games was in Scotland in 2014. It required us to travel around the country for a number of weeks as part of a large convoy which included police officers, event organisers and volunteers.
The Queens Baton Relay was a very unique opportunity as it required the police officers involved to be part of a security escort running team which was tasked with ensuring that it was a safe and enjoyable event for all.
I had the opportunity to not only meet a lot of officers from different areas of the country but also engage with different communities around Scotland and meet some inspirational people who had been selected as baton bearers.
What are the toughest things about being a police officer?
The toughest thing about being a police officer is that you have to step up to deal with some difficult situations and sometimes you are required to face particular challenges which can be both demanding and disruptive but what helps is the people you work with to get you through these occasions.
What makes you want to get up every day and what to put the uniform on?
What make me want to get up every day to put on the uniform is simply a sense of duty and knowing it’s not just a job, it’s a career you choose.
What is the most rewarding aspect of policing?
The most rewarding thing about policing is working as part of a team to solve problems and deal with challenging situations. I think what it gives most is a feeling of satisfaction that you are actually helping people.
How do you cope with challenges?
In terms of coping with challenges we rely on other members of our team and people within the service for that support but also look to our families to offer that support as well.
How have you developed within the police?
At first, I was only really focussed on learning the basics of the job but I enjoyed becoming a tutor constable as it allowed me to pass on some of the experience I had gained to officers who were just starting their careers.
I then moved into community policing where I was given the chance to develop further in trying to solve problems within the area I was responsible for.
This provided valuable experience which, when paired with some of the training courses I had been supported to undertake, proved to be useful when I later became a Sergeant within a community policing role.
During my time as a police officer I feel that I have learned a lot of new skills and these skills have been very important to take in to life in general. For example, in my current role it has been helpful to see policing from a different angle in terms of understanding governance and the way that decisions are made as that is something that I have applied outside the police whilst volunteering in my own community.
What would you say to someone who is thinking about joining the police?
What I would say to someone thinking about becoming a police officer is to carry out your research into what the job entails, speak to people who are within the Service and make your decision based on this if you think you would have the skills suitable.
