PCSO Ryan Thomas, a bilingual officer, said in his experience, offering a policing service in both the Welsh and English language is a “valuable asset”.
As an integral part of history and culture of Wales, the force also has a moral responsibility to offer a service in Welsh.
“Some members of the community prefer to have the choice of speaking Welsh and I find as soon as they see the badge on my vest that says I speak Welsh, they instantly warm to me and engage with me,” PCSO Thomas said.
“A bilingual service also means we can offer an effective and efficient police service that meets the needs of our communities.
“It’s nice that people can also rely on me if they need someone to be able to speak in Welsh with someone in the community, that otherwise wouldn’t have felt comfortable talking to us.”
Head over to our South Flintshire Facebook page every day this week to hear from officers sharing their personal stories and lived experiences that highlight the importance of diversity, equality and inclusivity at North Wales Police.