It is hard to believe that women weren’t part of the Metropolitan Police until 1918 when the first woman officially joined the force, but without any powers of arrest until 1922.

Now of course we have a female Commissioner, Cressida Dick in the Met’s most senior role and the force is actively seeking to recruit more women in order to improve the current statistic of only 27% women.

Acting Sergeant Dara Ley delivered a fascinating PIE at Lunchtime talk to explain the role of the police officer, the opportunities for women within the Met and the various routes into this demanding and varied career.