ACC Leaper was welcomed by students Rosie L, Lily B, and Erin W (11A), and Sixth Former Maggie D (13K)

During the visit, ACC Leaper introduced herself to students and spoke candidly about her background, challenges, and career progression within policing.  She explained that, following her education at a girls’ school, she began a career in customer service within the airline industry before deciding to join the police force, later completing a master’s degree while already a serving police officer.  Despite joining the police 'late', ACC Leaper has worked in many roles within the police and was appointed to her senior position following a highly competitive national selection process.  Today, she is responsible for Contact and Strategic Planning, which extends to specialist areas such as firearms, drones, dog units, and public order teams.

The key theme of the talk centred on women in policing and how the profession has changed over time.  ACC Leaper shared that when she joined the force 23 years ago, women were vastly under-represented, with negative attitudes and misogyny more commonplace.  She also described practical challenges, including both equipment and uniforms not designed for female officers, and the physical demands of training which did not always account for biological differences.  Encouragingly, she noted that these issues have since been reviewed and addressed, with improved equipment and uniform, female-led training, and targeted fitness preparation now in place.  And although outdated views still surface from time to time, ACC Leaper stressed that these are not tolerated and are swiftly addressed.

The session explored the wide range of careers available within policing, extending far beyond frontline officers.  ACC Leaper reflected on female colleagues working in teams such as digital forensics, finance, intelligence, fleet management, research and project management, and control rooms, emphasising how flexible and diverse a career in policing can be.  We heard about the academic entry requirements, with ACC Leaper highlighting accessible routes into policing which include degree apprenticeships, offering paid training from day one, a qualification at the end of three years, and a starting salary of around £32,000. 

Students were encouraged to develop key personal skills if they are considering policing in the future, including communication, integrity, honesty, problem‑solving, and sound decision‑making.  ACC Leaper offered reassurance that being neurodiverse or having dyslexia is not a barrier as the force now has strong support systems in place.  To students seeking experience while still at school, she recommended community‑based opportunities such as police cadets, the Duke of Edinburgh Award, and volunteering with youth or mental health services, all of which strengthen future applications.

ACC Leaper concluded by describing policing as a demanding but deeply rewarding career.

I love what I do, it’s a real privilege to serve the public. Every day is different, and you get to see things that those outside the force never do.

The inspiring talk and Q&A session left students well-informed and with a clearer understanding that policing is open to all, with a range of opportunities promoting personal growth and career progression.  The students were keen to share their thoughts afterwards: 

We are extremely grateful to ACC Leaper for finding time in her demanding schedule to visit our students.  Her leadership, openness, and commitment to positive change provided students with a powerful example of what female leadership looks like in practice and the ‘real world’ difference it can make.