She “absolutely loves” her job working in Economic Crime and Fraud and admits she “can’t imagine working anywhere else” after spending a total of six years in a combination of uniform and CID.
Following the money trail
The money laundering cases undertaken by Erin are usually high-level, and she often deals with the more complex fraud cases “which are too big for the force, but not big enough to go to the Serious Fraud Office”.
“Most of my work is like solving a massive puzzle; I grab the little pieces and join them together – it’s proper detective work.”
“I spend a lot of time going through bank statements and phone downloads,” she said. “I find it so satisfying; I can really dig, follow the money trail, and go after the big players. It’s such an interesting world to investigate.
“Uniform was never going to be a long-term thing for me. Very early on, I realised that I wanted to be a detective because I enjoyed the investigation side of things so much.”
Hard work pays off
It was at CID that Erin’s ex-colleague came and spoke to the team about the vacancies available in the SWROCU where he now worked.
“His presentation got me thinking and really piqued my interest,” she said. “I didn’t know that much about the Unit until that point. I knew it existed, but it felt like something people just didn’t talk about.”
From that moment on, she worked really hard to be part of its Economic Crime and Fraud department.
“I made sure I gained as much experience in force as possible, so I could evidence why I should be given a position investigating economic crime and fraud.
“Some people don’t think they have enough experience to come here and equally there are experienced constables who aren’t aware of the opportunities available at SWROCU. But it’s awesome here and I shout about it wherever I can.
“I have the autonomy, freedom, and space to get on and do my job, which is how I work best. I am tenacious, I work really hard, and I’ve learnt how to put parameters on my work.”
Support and opportunities to develop
Erin continues to develop her skills, thanks largely to the encouragement of her manager.
“There are lots of opportunities here,” she said. “I’ve trained and become a Financial Intelligence Officer, which gives me access to the sensitive databases I need for intelligence.
“I’ve had dedicated money laundering training provided by the City of London Police (the national lead force for fraud) and I’m working to become a national money laundering expert.”
“If you like to dig and really get your teeth into something and go after the big players and understand it might take a while, it’s worth thinking about being part of SWROCU. I love it.”
The role works for Erin on a personal level, too.
“The work-life balance here has been a game-changer for me,” added Erin. “I work condensed hours over a set number of days, either in the office or at home, but there is still flexibility to work around my partner’s shifts, which allows us to get our child to and from nursery.”
There are a whole host of capabilities within each ROCU, but people who investigate money laundering tend to have an interest in solving problems, are inquisitive, and have an eye for detail.
*Name has been changed