She’s one of the officers leading the way in how Northumbria Police tackles complex cybercrime, but when Rachel Richardson joined the force in 2005 she was nothing more than a new recruit with a desire to become a detective.

Now, 14 years into her career and despite holding no formal digital qualifications when she began, Rachel and her team are at the forefront of modern policing and the vast and intricate online world.

“I just thought, I’m willing to learn, I’ve got an investigative mind and I had nothing to lose. The opportunities are there if you just have the courage to say, ‘yes I’m interested’,” she said.

As Detective Inspector, Rachel now looks after a team of staff in the Digital Forensics Unit and growing cybercrime department.

She now hopes to inspire other women with the same attitude to consider a career in policing.