Leading edge

The sadness and shock of Friday 13th November with the atrocities of attacks on contemporary modern life in Paris, which was in truth an attack on the freedom, equality and fraternity off us all , has not gone away. This week we have learned the heart wrenching stories of bravery and bad luck. This week we have seen the football world sing the Marseillaise  and virtually every monumental building in every major city has been lit up in the red, white and blue of the Tricoleur .

    The Guardian showed us Brazil and these other examples. http://trib.al/OpeDH6E. 

My week has been one of hard graft and few pictures. For much of the week I was closeted away with 

twenty three other assessors and a similar number of senior police officers who had entered themselves into the Senior Police National Assessment Centre . Passing Senior PNAC,as it is known, is tough , involving a rigorous multi-tasked assessment centre , and is the only route to the High Command course which is in itself a gateway to eligibility for Chief Officer posts. 

I was impressed by the dedication and skill of assessors and candidates alike , and continue to believe that it is the rigour of assessment and the commitment to quality and training that gives us the high calibre senior command that lead our Police forces today. And in the face of austerity and the heightened threat to national security it's vital that we have superb leadership from the top , enjoying the confidence of the communities they serve. I'm pleased to be able to bring my long experience of public service and executive leadership and my independent views to contribute to the process of assessment. But I couldn't take those long intense days every day! 

After all that, I was exhausted,  and it was great to get home on Friday night, and uplifting to be driven  from the station by a taxi driver originally from Afghanistan, brought up in the Midlands, who like us all was utterly shocked and appalled by the events of Paris, Mali and the rest.  We bonded over our short drive.

And then I was able to unwind to Graham Norton hosting Adele, in a programme of beautiful music , openness and much genuine laughter . If you haven't seen it, do watch on catch up. 

And after all that intense work amidst lashing rains and dark skies, it has been a delight this weekend to enjoy the big skies , long beaches and sunshine of Hove and to enjoy time and food with friends and family . 

                                       

     

                                     

                               

                                  

      

                 And today , Sunday lunch at The Better Half followed by the Open House at 9a Hove Place and the purchase of a loaf from Sugardough , topped off a fabulous Hove Sunday afternoon in late November !