We were very pleased to welcome back Alan Baldwin (Ridley ’86) to speak with our Sixth Form students about Policing in the 21st Century.

Alan is a former chief police officer with 32 years’ experience, having served in five UK police forces and worked with public and private sector organisations and NGOs around the world. His extensive leadership career spans the Metropolitan Police, Thames Valley Police, and the Cambridgeshire–Bedfordshire–Hertfordshire collaboration, and includes overseeing major public safety operations at events such as the London 2012 Olympics, counter-terrorism responses, and major football fixtures across the Premier League, Europe, and international competitions.

He also sat on the UK Government’s COBRA Covid-19 foresight group, contributing to strategic planning for national support and intervention. Over his policing career, Alan served both as a firearms officer and a detective, giving him wide ranging operational insight.

Alan has many fond memories of his time at AGS and remains close friends with many of his former classmates. His connection to the school continues, with his son Thomas also having attended AGS.

During his talk, Alan emphasised the importance of balanced decision making under pressure, using examples from his own experience to highlight the challenges officers face. He also spoke about the growing significance of social media in modern policing and how it is used by police forces, potential employees, and recruitment professionals.

Alan now runs two organisations: Practice to Progress, supporting career development within policing, and United Outcomes, which focuses on keeping people safe from terrorism and serious violence.

A huge thank you to Alan for sharing his expertise, insight, and wisdom with our students.