Police call centre manager Judith retires after 33 years
A POLICE public call centre manager who established a service to help people with hidden disabilities is stepping down after 33 years.
Judith Major, manager of the South Wales Police public services centre, was instrumental in setting up Keep Safe Cymru – a scheme to help police support people with learning disabilities, mental health or communication needs.
Judith, from Tondu, will step down from the role she shares with two others on Wednesday, January 31.
Judith began her career as switchboard operator in 1985 at the age of 22, following six years working in a bank.
She quickly worked her way up to the operations room, and over the last 28 years she has risen in the ranks to manager of the public services centre.
But Judith, now 55, says her proudest career accomplishment has been her work to establish Keep Safe Cymru – which has won her accolades from the Welsh Contact Centre Forum and special recognition from former South Wales Police Chief Constable Peter Vaughan.
Keep Safe Cymru is a card scheme available for anyone in the South Wales force area with a learning disability, mental health issue, dementia or communication need.
The scheme is designed to assist officers awareness of vulnerable people’s specific needs for their personal safety, and to provide tailored support.
In recent years the project has widened its scope to provide a similar service for veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder and other physical injuries.
Judith said: “I think, for me, apart from dealing with crisis situations on the phone, it’s been amazing to help support vulnerable people in our community.
“We were the first in Wales and others are now taking it on.”
She added: “I have met some really fantastic people and made some very good friends in my 33 years.” Judith said she will spend the early months of her retirement fundraising with Women in Wales, a charity who support Save the Children with an annual luncheon, and are currently collecting money to buy a helicopter baby pod for the Welsh Ambulance Service.
She will celebrate her retirement by going out for dinner with her parents and husband and a final gathering for her colleagues on March 2.