Using intelligence skills to target criminals ethically and proportionately

Assistant Chief Constable Julie Fielding has been in policing for nearly 30 years and has worked her way through the ranks of the service.

She joined Devon and Cornwall Police in 1993 and was a detective, before becoming the chief superintendent BCU commander. 'I wanted a career that would interest me, which gave me a number of options, which involved keeping people safe because that was really important to me – and I had a number of friends who were in policing,' she says.

Julie had a keen interest in intelligence and became a detective constable three years after joining the police service. She took a secondment to the National Crime Squad (NCS), then joined full-time, was promoted to sergeant and ran the branch intelligence unit.

After returning to force, Julie was promoted to detective inspector and worked in public protection, where her knowledge and background in intelligence came in very useful. In her current role, Julie is the lead for NPCC Intelligence Standards and Professionalisation. 

My recommendation around continuing professional development (CPD) for anyone in intelligence would be to ensure that you complete your portfolio every year and ensure that that is signed off. It's really important that you keep your skills up.

I would also suggest that people who work in intelligence keep up to speed with what their colleagues are doing because I've learnt so much over the years.

ACC Julie Fielding

Keeping people safe

Hear from Julie about her years of experience in policing, surveillance and intelligence.

Find out more about the intelligence policing career family pathway and the role profile. And discover the different ways you could work for the police and be a force for good in your community, a force for all. 

Go to the national police recruitment site