Inside the Met Police: The Stories Officers Rarely Get the Chance to Share | Laura Pond (Part 1)

What is it really like to spend almost 20 years policing London?In Part 1 of this conversation, I sit down with one of my closest friends and former Metropolitan Police colleague, Laura Pond.From the outside, policing is often reduced to headlines and headlines rarely tell the full story.Together we look back on our time in the Met, talking honestly about Hendon training school, response policing, becoming detectives, Counter Terrorism, Professional Standards, major incidents and the unseen pressures that come with wearing the uniform.Laura shares how she nearly never joined the police because of anxiety, how putting on the uniform transformed her confidence, and how she went on to work in Counter Terrorism, helping improve the UK's response to victims following the Tunisia terrorist attack.This isn't a conversation about sensational stories.It's about the people behind the badge.It's about responsibility, resilience, friendship, humour, and the things police officers rarely get the opportunity to talk about once the cameras are off.Whether you've worked in policing, know someone who has, or you've simply wondered what life inside the Met is really like, I hope this conversation gives you a perspective you may never have heard before.In this episode we discuss:• Joining the Metropolitan Police• Hendon Police Training School• Life on response policing• Becoming a detective• Counter Terrorism Command• The Tunisia terrorist attack• Professional Standards (DPS)• War crimes investigations• Public perception of policing• Why good officers leaveIf you enjoy honest conversations about resilience, leadership and the experiences that shape us, please follow You Can Do Hard Things wherever you listen to your podcasts.Part 2 is coming soon... and trust me, you won't want to miss it.