How I got here
In my role, I oversee and lead the teams in the Proceeds of Crime Centre (PoCC). This is a diverse role and one that I personally find rewarding, challenging and one that can really shape the illicit finance landscape.
After leaving university, I was certain that I wanted to pursue a career within law enforcement. Having completed a degree in Psychology and Criminology, I was more than keen to explore this area of work. I began my career in HM Customs and Excise as a Criminal Investigator and chose very quickly to specialise in Financial Investigation. From there I moved into the United Kingdom Financial Intelligence Unit (UKFIU) at the inception of the Serious Organised Crime Agency and started to specialise in Financial Intelligence.
I’m now in my 17th year with the Agency and I’m really enjoying my first year with PoCC. After all this time, what’s kept me here is multifaceted and includes the varied roles I’ve been able to be involved in, the developmental opportunities on offer, there’s always something new to learn and the privilege to really make a difference in protecting the public. The work-life balance afforded to me remains invaluable and has allowed me to keep progressing professionally as well as be a present and involved mother to 2x school-aged children.
My role and how I protect the public
The PoCC is at the heart of the UK Anti-Money Laundering regime ensuring that Financial Investigators across UK Policing and other POCA enabled organisations display and maintain consistent standards in the execution of powers they derive from PoCA.
We regularly engage with teams and stakeholders across the NCA, HMG and our wider UK Law Enforcement partners. We provide direction to our strategic partners, enabling the development and maintenance of financial investigation legislation and capability within UK and overseas jurisdictions through the use of financial tools, tactics and strategies.
If PoCC didn’t operate and deliver Training, Regulation, Accreditation and Monitoring, there would simply not be the skilled and equipped network of Financial Investigators able to recover the proceeds from crime. The public is protected by these Financial Investigators whether they be denying criminals their proceeds from criminal activity or, by recovering funds belonging to victims of crime.
On a great day
On a great day, I get to collaborate with lots of people who all feel passionately in relation to recovering and denying the proceeds of crime. I get to work with my own teams, other NCA teams, external teams and international partners and, when we all come together, some amazing discussions and ideas are shared.
A great day for me is also watching my teams develop in their careers and achieve new things that they are proud of. I’ve had a lot of time and effort invested into me by some very wise people along my career pathway so I feel it’s very important to ‘pay it forward’. For me, staff development is something that I love being able to shape and influence.
On a typical day
My typical day always promises to be anything but dull and repetitive. I am able to connect with my teams around the country through MS TEAMS, email and telephone…occasionally all at the same time!!
Invariably, I will be involved in online meetings to discuss anything from the strategy plan of the PoCC and its deliverables to new legislation that PoCC needs to ensure is understood by Financial Investigators. What each day promises is that it will never be the same and I always start my day knowing that I have to be organised and planned yet flexible to accommodate new and unexpected things that come along requiring my attention. I work with supportive people and their commitment is something I know I can always rely on.
