Thank you for your interest in this story
To continue reading this article, sign up today to unlock exclusive content and be part of our community discussions
- Exclusive discounts
- Enjoy commenting on local issues
Already a subscriber? Log in here.
19
Nov 2020
Patrolling Harrogate's streets during lockdown
Being a police traffic sergeant and father to a young child, Sergeant Paul Cording is used to being busy. Some nights he is the only traffic sergeant patrolling North Yorkshire's 6,000 miles of roads.
But although the first lockdown decimated the volume of traffic on the roads, the second one has been far busier — and more challenging in some ways. He says:
Sgt Cording, 49, who lives in Harrogate, said there have also been more incidents involving drink and drug drivers and more domestic incidents. But late night alcohol disturbances are down.
14,000 Twitter followers
Sgt Cording's sometimes shocking tweets about life on the frontline have brought him a near-14,000 following,
North Yorkshire Police trust him to communicate directly with journalists and the wider public in his warm, engaging manner.
He weaves personal anecdotes, such as cannabis drivers, chasing suspected poachers and a colleague being bitten by a person with covid, with more serious messages, such as promoting the charity Brake's road safety week.
Read more:
- Almost 90 arrests in three years as police tackle county lines drug crime
- Police arrest man after incident in Harrogate Town centre
He says there were "some issues" within the force when he started tweeting in 2011 but increasingly the police recognise the value of officers engaging directly with the public and showing a bit of personality rather than parroting corporate lines.
A former RAF man, he works from 7am to 7pm for two consecutive days, then from 7pm to 7am for two consecutive nights then has four days off. What has been his most distressing incident?
Likes a beer
Since joining the police in 2001, Sgt Cording says there has been "huge progress" in looking after officers' mental health by providing welfare meetings, incident briefings and trauma incident management. But some things are never forgotten.
To unwind, he spends time with his wife and three-year-old son, plays hockey, runs and "likes a beer".
He tries to answer every direct message he receives on Twitter.
0