Alison Heydari

Dr Alison Heydari is a Temporary Deputy Assistant Commissioner within the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) in London and currently the most senior Black female police officer in the UK. She previously led the MPS on neighbourhood policing and, nationally, on Out-Of-Court Resolutions, used by police to deal proportionately with first time or low-level offences.^[1][2] She is now on secondment to the National Police Chiefs’ Council as Programme Director for the National Police Race Action Plan whilst also retaining ownership of Out-Court-Resolutions nationally.

Early life, education and career

Heydari, the daughter of Guyanese immigrants, was born and brought up in South London. She had thought of trying a career in art but, when living in Hampshire, noticed a small advert for police jobs in the local newspaper, discussed it with her husband and, hoping to change the world for the better, took up policing.^[3][4]

In 2000, Heydari started policing with the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary as a student officer. After training, she was deployed to Southampton. She took part in the Home Office Accelerated Promotion Scheme for Graduates and was promoted to Sergeant after two years of service. She stayed in Hampshire for two decades. She joined the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) as a detective sergeant working on a wide number of issues including public protection e.g., managing hate crime, preventing people trafficking, domestic violence and child abuse. Her secondments included to His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services and she worked abroad teaching at John Jay Exchange College of Criminal Justice New York. In 2009, she became chief inspector district commander of Portsmouth South.^[5]

In October 2019, Heydari read for a Doctor of Philosophy at the University of Portsmouth with a thesis on Enhancing the Experience of Procedural Justice for Domestic Abuse Survivors by Improving the Policing Response.^[6]

In June 2020, Heydari joined the Met as a Frontline Policing Area Commander. She has been credited with challenging prejudice in a traditionally white, male-dominated profession and has been recognised for this by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.^[7][8]

Following the murder of George Floyd and the subsequent protests, the Police Race Action Plan was set up in 2020 and Heydari became programme director.^[9] She had already written the first Race Action Plan for Hampshire Constabulary.^[2]

As the programme director, Heydari will work with organisations such as the National Police Chief's Council, the College of Policing, the Independent Scrutiny and Oversight Board (ISOB), and the National Black Police Association (NBPA).^[10][11]

In 2021, Heydari launched the 'Behind the Badge' project in an attempt to encourage more Black people to join the police whether on the beat or behind a desk.^{[3][12][13][14]}

As a keen horse rider, Heydari can ride as a senior mounted police officer with the Metropolitan Police on ceremonial duties.^[2]

References