Behind the flashing blue lights and fast cars lies another story.
Beverley Douglas was one of the first Black women to join Avon and Somerset Constabulary, becoming a Special Constable in 1983—just three years after
the 1980 St Pauls riots in Bristol.
PC Bev is a candid and powerful memoir of Beverley’s thirty-year police career. From the outset, she faced aggression and hostility from the very community she called her own—a rude awakening to the isolation that would follow. Rejected on both sides, she remained steadfast and resilient, even when she felt she belonged nowhere.
From her first day walking into the police station, Beverley was met with suspicion. Menacing stares made it clear she was not welcome. Some colleagues showed little regard for her ethnicity, openly expressing racist and sexist attitudes, questioning her motives, and offering no apology for misogynistic behaviour. Yet her determination to make a difference never wavered. She challenged the entrenched under-representation and male domination that defined the rank and file.
Relations between the police and the Black community remained strained and fractious, with the wounds of the St Pauls riots still painfully fresh. Trust was fragile, and efforts to diversify the police service were often met with resistance. Meanwhile, stress and mental health struggles lingered in the background, largely unspoken in a culture where vulnerability was too often seen as weakness.
Despite these challenges, Beverley built a rewarding and impactful career, breaking barriers and helping to pave the way for future generations of police officers. Supported by friends, family, colleagues, and the NHS Community Mental Health Team, she shares an extraordinary story of resilience, perseverance, and hope.
