WHEN Judi Heaton joined Humberside Police, she was a woman entering a man's world.
Banned from wearing trousers – except in "inclement weather" – and given handbags for their truncheons, female officers were treated differently from their male counterparts.
But Ms Heaton, now a chief superintendent, overcame obstacles and has risen through the ranks to one of the force's top jobs.
As the newly appointed head of policing for the East Riding, she has become the first woman in living memory to be in charge of one of the force's three local divisions.
"I am quite proud of that, actually," she says, sipping tea from a pink mug.
"But it is not about being a woman – I am a chief superintendent who just happens to be female."
Chief Supt Heaton started her new role just a week after the force's first female chief constable, Justine Curran, took over.
Today, sitting in her new office at Beverley Police Station, she reflects on the challenges faced by female officers.
"The service and its attitudes to women have changed a lot during my time," she says.
"It is refreshing to see a female chief come in, although she is a chief who happens to be a woman.
"I'm sure she is very good – she has to be, because she's a woman, and it is harder for us."
Since her appointment, Chief Supt Heaton says she has received "overwhelming support" from officers and staff, particularly women.
"The best thing about it has been comments from female officers and staff – but also men, too – who have said it is a refreshing change to see a woman in charge," she says.
"Sometimes, it is just important for those female officers to have a role model.
"Just by having a female chief superintendent gives people an implied permission that it is a possibility.
"I had a female boss in Cheshire and she showed me it was possible. It is a subconscious thing; it normalises it."
Chief Supt Heaton was working as a management consultant in the United States when she made a "spur of the moment" decision to apply to join Humberside Police 21 years ago.
Just six weeks later, she was standing in uniform at a police training school.
"It looked like it would be varied and interesting as a career and it just appealed to me," she says.
During her time with the force, she worked as a detective constable before being promoted to a sergeant covering Bransholme, Queens Gardens and Tower Grange.
She was later chosen for a national scheme which fast-tracks high performers for promotion, becoming an inspector with only seven years of experience. After a short stint with Cheshire Police, Chief Supt Heaton returned to Humberside as a detective chief inspector in the East Riding.
Now, after two years as a detective superintendent on the South Bank, she has been put in charge of policing the 940 square miles of the East Riding.
"It is an honour and a privilege to get this job," she says.
"When I joined the service, I thought my inspector was God. I didn't even know what a chief superintendent was, let alone want to be one.
"This was never part of the plan, it's just happened.
"I still glance in the mirror and see me in this uniform and think, is this really me?"
She says her priorities are to try and continue reducing crime in the county, with a particular focus on violence and house burglary. However, she admits it will be a challenge after crime was slashed by 14 per cent last year.
"They are staggering reductions, which means it will be difficult to better that," she says.
"The best thing we can do is prevent crime. The police pick up the pieces when something goes wrong, but it would be better if people didn't have to call us at all."
With the force needing to save around £7m this year alone, Chief Supt Heaton will also have to look at ways to cut costs.
"I have some ideas, but it is still early days," she says.
"We are in such a challenging world at the minute. We have got to find more savings, we have a new police and crime commissioner and we need to encompass his vision and views. I then have to try and make it work for the East Riding.
"One of the key things for me is listening to staff and using what they tell me when I'm making decisions.
"They want stability and my job is to listen to what it is like for them and try and make it better for them so they can deliver a better service.
"I'm still down-to-earth and I haven't forgotten what it's like to do the job. I have got my hands dirty and the officers know that."
Chief Supt Heaton also wants to connect with the public – and will be doing so by joining the social networking site Twitter.
"It's modern, it's fun and it is just one of many things I will be using to communicate with people," she says.
"Hopefully, it will also show people there is a human being with a sense of humour behind this official person. They will see that I am just normal."
