A Leicestershire deputy chief constable has spoken of the highs and lows of three decades in the force ahead of his retirement next month following a 30-year police career.
Roger Bannister started out at Lincolnshire Police in 1988, where he worked as a uniformed officer in Skegness, a complete change from his previous work in retail management.
He said: "My early ambition was to join the traffic department and drive a Vauxhall Senator but this aspiration didn’t get very far as a result of an unfortunate incident involving a very sandy beach and a patrol car."
He went on to train as a detective in CID before spending much of his early career as a detective sergeant and detective inspector. He then qualified as a senior investigating officer and led a number of investigations into murder, suspicious death and other types of major crime.
However, Roger's toughest role came in 2013, when he joined Leicestershire Police as an assistant chief constable, taking on responsibility for crime investigation and management.
He was later promoted to Deputy Chief Constable in 2015, a role which has seen him hold national and regional responsibilities for aspects of covert policing and counter-terrorism, as well as hostage crisis negotiation and the prevent programme.
Looking back at his time in Leicestershire, Roger said that one of his most rewarding – and saddest - experiences was leading the force response and investigation into the tragic deaths of Antoin Akpom and four members of the same family who were murdered in a house fire in Leicester in September 2013.
He said: "After only a few months in the force I saw at first hand just how committed and professional force colleagues were in coming together to investigate the case, and at the same time receive such strong support from communities in doing so.
"Everybody was absolutely determined to see justice for the victims and their families."
Roger, who has also assisted the college of policing as a senior assessor in helping to select future chief officers across the UK, added: "As well as working alongside the Police and Crime Commissioner, councils, the probation service and other partners, I have found the local communities exceptionally engaging.
"I have been particularly grateful for the really warm welcome that my wife, Emma, and my young family have received.
"My twin boys, who are now 10, have visited so many events and occasions with me either on duty or socially, including the burial of King Richard III, the Rugby World Cup and of course Premier League football.
"We have absolutely loved it and I would like to thank local people for their support. I have met some great people in and outside the force and probably made some lifelong friends. In retirement I have no doubt that my boys will keep me busy as we enjoy skiing, tennis, sailing and swimming."
During his time with Leicestershire Police, Roger also played a prominent role in championing the force’s multiple award-winning film, "Kayleigh's Love Story".
Aimed at raising awareness of child sexual exploitation by telling the tragic story of schoolgirl Kayleigh Haywood, the five-minute film has been viewed more than 40 million times worldwide. It has led to scores of children making disclosures, enabling police forces to better safeguard children from harm.
Outside policing, Roger is also an active school governor and enjoys mountaineering, an interest which has taken him to Scotland, the Alps, Dolomites and as far afield as the Himalayas.
