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Estonian Exchange Aidan Goundry , West Mercia Branch Through my IPA activities, and with help of contacts in the European College of Policing, I was invited to take part in a professional exchange with an officer from the Estonian National Police. With the support of my command team, I was authorised to go ahead, with the return visit hopefully following in the near future. I was met at the Bus depot, by my hosts, Maksim and Henry, and after dropping my bags at the hotel, we headed straight CCTV (which was to an incredible standard) and responding to calls. I was impressed at how accurate their mapping systems were in locating callers and their own units. Their operating system seemed to be very efficient, providing updates almost instantly. All Estonian citizens are registered, Special Constable, carrying a ballistic shield and a sidearm. It was this officer who made the only “fatal” shot of the day. After the Patrol Officers withdrew, the SWAT unit took over. I found the training methodology incredibly educational and was pleased of the opportunity to learn from it. Hopefully, I might be able to offer suggestions for learning in my own force. That evening, I was invited to my hosts’ home for a BBQ.

out for my first day’s activity; an afternoon of patrolling the seas. It was fascinating to learn how the Patrol boat operated, especially the way in which their response times can vary dependent on weather. The crew also provided support to a nearby island, which was policed by just one patrol. The boat was the only transport for backup, on a voyage that could easily take an hour. The crew were also kind enough to gear up and show me how to perform a sea rescue, utilising the boat as a breaker for the waves. Leaving the open sea we went upriver, where I was dressed in a dry suit and thrown overboard. I bobbed around quite happily before being reeled in like a large fish, which was great fun. Estonia is pioneering advances in technological development, which was reflected in the Comms room I visited in Talinn. Despite space for 30 staff, they only had four call-handlers monitoring

which makes person checks far more accurate and reliable. Whilst their day-to-day operations are comparable with ours, the technology available to them makes their job much easier. I also had the chance to talk with their Coastguard Command and learned about the difficulties in crossing foreign waters to attend assistance calls. After the Comms Room, I saw their patrol vehicles, their equipment and technology put standard patrols back home to shame. Wednesday was the most interesting day of the trip as I had the opportunity to observe a training event. This was an ‘active-shooter’ scenario, utilising police staff and police volunteers, in a former school owned by the police. The first officer through the door was their equivalent of a

It was a great opportunity to relax in the beautiful Estonian weather, and to discuss policing and IPA experiences. Thursday saw me earning my keep, as I gave two presentations. The first was an overview of policing in the UK, and the second focussed on Local Policing and my role as a PCSO. Having done some research, I was able to discuss Estonia and West Mercia in comparative terms. Everyone was very interested at how Britain works with unarmed officers, and especially at PCSO’s patrolling without any equipment, which led to a debate on officer safety.

Aiden Goundry going for a swim

Aiden Goundry with the Estonian Police Patrol Boat Crew

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POLICE WORLD Vol 64 No.4, 2019