Met's longest-serving officer celebrates 50th year

The Metropolitan Police's longest-serving police officer is celebrating her 50th year of service.

PC Karen Giles, 68, who joined the Met in 1976, has been a police constable in boroughs all over London and said officers of her rank are the force's "backbone".

A surprise party was held on Tuesday by friends and family to celebrate her decades-long service at New Scotland Yard, the force's central London headquarters.

PC Giles praised the police service for being "willing to put themselves at risk", adding: "I've never met people as broadminded, as tolerant, and kind as the people I've met in the police service, both police staff and police officers."

"I love being a PC. I've had a wonderful time as a PC," she said.

She said the misconception that police officers were intolerant and "set in their ways" was untrue, adding that their work was frequently "undersold".

PC Giles said her favourite posting was the Community Safety Unit, where she helped victims of domestic abuse.

When asked about how policing has changed, she said social media has made the job increasingly "complicated", although the basics have mostly remained the same.

"I think the biggest change is technology," she said.

PC Giles said she never felt "isolated" as a female officer in the 1970s and was able to handle any incidents with male officers.

"There were a lot of women in my intake at Hendon Police College," she said.

"Out of 60 officers, 25 were women. So, actually, I didn't feel that there weren't many women because it was a sign of the times, if you like, and there was a huge recruitment drive in '76."

Sheila Fellows-Turnbull, 70, from Hastings, East Sussex, who served alongside PC Giles in the late 1970s, also attended the surprise event.

"We've been alongside each other since the late 70s," she said.

"She's done so much, and she is very understated about it as well."

PC Giles is currently posted at Plumstead, south-east London working in integrated offender management.

Assistant Commissioner Matt Twist, who is responsible for all borough policing in London, said PC Giles's service is "absolutely astonishing".

Speaking at the surprise party, he said: "I wanted to take today to one invite you here to say thank you for 50 years of service, to say thank you in front of your friends and family."

When asked about her plans for the future, PC Giles said she planned to "keep coming to work!".

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