A POLICE Sergeant is so passionate about her job she volunteers as a cadet leader at her son’s unit.
Dawn Twomey is often seen heading straight out to meet up with her teenage Solihull squad after finishing a shift leading her neighbourhood team.
Dawn decided to take on her 1SH cadet unit so she could share her policing experiences from across almost two decades with the force.
She also felt it would enable her to engage with young people and get a better grasp of what issues are important to them.
The unit has around 30 members, including her 14-year-old son Jake, and they have all had opportunities to go out with police officers and hear about different roles such as firearms and dog handler teams.
There’s also been practical experiences such as compass reading and volunteering at events such as Crufts and Race for Life, to spending time helping elderly people at a retirement complex.
Dawn said: “I decided to volunteer as a cadet leader as I wanted to give something back to the community.
“As a police officer I’ve been through experiences which have helped develop me as a person and I believe sharing these can help others too.
“It’s really rewarding and heart warming to see the cadets grow as young people and developing new skills.
“By being around young people I get a better understanding of important issues to them which helps in my day job as a police officer.
“Another big advantage of being a cadet leader is I get to spend time with my son doing something we’re both interested in.
“It’s given Jake an insight into what I do away from being his mum.
“Although most of the unit now calls me ‘mum’ so I’ve got a much bigger family now.”
Anyone interested in volunteering as a cadet leader should click here.
