You’re wanted by the police force
CHIEF INSPECTOR Richard Padwell is campaigning for more diversity in the police force. Based in his home city of Leeds, with a Jewish community of around 7,000, he would like to see more Jewish applicants: “I’ve not the slightest doubt or concern to recommend to any Jewish person to join West Yorkshire Police,” he says. “There is a benefit to all communities to have someone who represents them, in terms of trust and confidence and communication, knowledge and understanding. Why wouldn’t we want to maximise the talent pool? I would personally mentor anyone Jewish who wants to join the force.”
In fact, Padwell recently mentored a local Jewish woman who has joined. “So, we have had a Jewish police constable, a support officer and a Jewish special constable join. Three women from Leeds! I was the only one in a uniform, so we’ve quadrupled the number.
“I personally choose to work on Shabbat but if I didn’t want to, it would be accommodated. In 24 years, I’ve never worked on Rosh Hashanah or Yom Kippur. You know we have Muslim police officers who pray five times a day as is required. Every police station has a prayer room.”
Exactly how many Jews are in the police force is unknown, as there is no requirement for anyone to declare their religion. The Jewish Police Association has 200 members in London and Padwell is aware of more in other areas.
As part of the senior leadership team in Leeds, he works closely with many sectors, including the local council, education authority, public sector care workers, domestic violence workers and substance abuse workers.
“It’s all about trying to prevent younger people getting involved with more serious issues and reducing demand, rather than waiting until there are negative results. I also linemanage a lot of other people in terms of partnerships; hate crime co-ordinators in Leeds, strategic engagement officers; new migrant communities, the anti -social behaviour team...
“When the first lockdown was announced, one of things we did with the council was to get 200 people who were living street-based lives into accommodation across Leeds.”
While crime rates generally dropped during lockdown, “there was an increase in reports of domestic abuse during the first lockdown and we know from support services and charities that calls to helplines also increased,” says Padwell. “It is a key priority area for the police and we’re keen to work with partners to provide the best possible support to victims whilst bringing offenders to justice.”
Padwell grew up Leeds in a family who had always worked in the public sector; his father was a GP and his mother a nurse. One of his sisters, Claire Brown, a vice president of Etz Chaim synagogue, is an occupational therapist, as is his wife, Becky. His other sister is a lawyer working for the government. So although Padwell was called to the Bar following a politics degree and a law conversion course, he felt the police was the right path for him. “I believe in the ethos of public service and the police fits with my values and gives me a sense of satisfaction that I am working in area in that prevents crime, keeps people safe, protects vulnerable people and gives reassurance, so in that sense, what’s not to like?”
He began his career as a constable in 1996, covering the previously Jewish area of Chapeltown in Leeds, as well as the existing one North of the city. “I did find orthodox people felt happier that it was me turning up on their doorstep if they had reported a crime,” he says.
He recalls one incident that brought him in touch with his own history: “I was called to a burglary to a building that was being used as a community centre in Reginald Terrace. As I walked in, I noticed a foundation stone... that was in Hebrew and it had formerly been a shul. The person who had laid the stone was called Shaffner and that was my great grandfather! My mum’s grandfather. I think it’s been knocked down now, sadly.”
In 2010, now an inspector, he was given the area of Finsbury Park & Highbury; at the time Boris Johnson lived there and the local MP was Jeremy Corbyn. When Padwell’s wife was about to give birth to their son, Ezra, in 2015, they met Corbyn on the way into the maternity unit. “He... asked what we were doing there. It’s my big regret I didn’t say ‘we’re going into labour’.”
As Becky was also from Leeds, when the chance came to return to the city in 2018, he took up his present role. A few days after our interview, Padwell tells me he is soon to become a superintendent. Could we be looking at the future first Jewish Chief Constable of the UK?
I’d personally mentor anyone Jewish who wants to join the force’
For more details on joining the police, go to: https://jewishpoliceassociation.org. uk/join-the-police/