My name is PC Debs Aspray, and I am one of BTP’s Driving Instructors, based out of Manchester.
I became a Police Driving Instructor in Oct 2022, following my initial career as a Response Officer, at Leeds and Manchester. I joined BTP in 2017 and in 2019 I completed my Initial Response Course with Lancs Constabulary, but with a BTP Instructor, PS0633 Tim Ross.
It was on this amazing two-week course that I found a massive appreciation for the skill of response driving and realised that if the opportunity ever presented itself, it was something I would like to pursue further into my career. However, I did not really believe that BTP would ever have their own Driver Training Unit. So, playing devil’s advocate I kept up with my newfound skills in the remote possibility a BTP Driver Training Unit would ever manifest itself, and guess what…
My role involves running 3-week Initial Response Courses for up to three officers at a time. During their training they must complete and meet 16 different competencies, successfully pass a written exam on Roadcraft and Highway Code (86% pass mark), all followed up with a final driving test (by another instructor).
My key role is to guide, nurture, support, teach and mentor learners to develop the required skills to pass each competency, and both exams. My previous teaching experience gave me experience I have built upon since joining Driver Training Unit.
I also get to support officers of all ranks. For example, I can remember Chief Superintendent Casey in particular. I was honoured to guide him through his refresher. I was hoping that he passed, and he is indeed a particularly good driver.
As someone who is neurodivergent, challenges can vary, on top of the commitments of the role I have as an instructor. However, if I was to pinpoint one of the main challenges in my role, this would be, being able to adapt my teaching style to three unique individuals. We have three weeks to deliver the course. Three weeks to get to know the learners, and during that time, adapt our teaching styles to each learner, to successfully get them all to the right level of consistency by the end of the third week and their final drive. It is a highly intensive course, so it is important to get the balance right and meet the needs of the individuals.
I would have to say that my personal/professional highlights, clearly must be seeing officers make the personal growth, development, and progress they do during their courses, along with their successful outcomes. It really is a privilege to see so many go from levels of uncertainty, through to passing their final drives, in just 3-weeks. The progress can be phenomenal and such a role fulfilling experience to witness, and to know that I have had that positive impact on someone else, for the better. The clear determination, dedication, and professionalism most of them show, it is fantastic to see and it also helps me too, when they put in all that effort.
Now on the opposite side of all that, if I were to say what my own personal highlights were; as previously mentioned, I am neurodivergent, so all the learning I have had to do to pass the various courses has been highly challenging. I proudly passed my 4-week Advanced Driving Course with Lancs Constabulary back in 2021 and then my 6-week PDI (instructors’ course) with Northamptonshire Police, in 2022, which was a 96% pass mark on a 100-question paper on Roadcraft and Highway Code. So, for me it has been the preparation, determination, dedication, and overall demanding work, whilst being dyslexic, that it has taken to get myself where I am.
Lastly, until I joined the Driver Training Unit, there had been no BTP female driving instructors before, so I have been honoured in paving the way forward for other female officers. So, that has been another personal and awesome highlight to date.
(There are now two of us on the team, which is fantastic!)
I am lucky in that I love my job role, and that shows through in my teaching and delivery. I would like to think that my positive and upbeat personality lends itself to my role, and from the feedback I have received over the past 2 years it has reflected this. I have had so many generous comments that have been extremely humbling to read.
I am seen as a positive advocate for the Driver Training Unit and represent who we are, of which I take immense pride in. So, if I can do anything during my time, I have with my learners, it is to promote support, understanding, encouragement, positively inspire each other, urge self-awareness and personal development. I would like them to leave a more confident and skilled officer to fulfil their duties and protect our members of public and staff.
Someone I will always look up to, and who I believe had a massively positive impact on me would be my initial tutor PC Kevin Webster, back in 2017. He adapted his learning style to me. He was very calm and patient. The kind of tutor I aspired to be myself. So, if I can use what he taught me on having positive impacts on others, it would be from him.
I would highly recommend a long-term Driving Instructor’s role to others, for sure. Firstly, the skills you develop are extremely good fun, if not highly intensive, adrenaline filled and demanding, but totally worth it! Secondly, my direct supervision has been super supportive and regularly praise, thank, and acknowledge you for your hard work, which can be rare in some job roles.
Going forward, I have so much more to achieve with my Advanced Instructors and IPP (Initial Phase Pursuit) course in September 2024, an ADI course, 4x4 course, hopefully moving on from that in time. So, there’s so much development and potential to be made in this role. I really can’t wait! Hence to say, it is both an honour and a privilege to have the job role I do, and I would recommend it to any officer.
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