We went to all kinds of different jobs that day – it was quite a busy day. We started with a sudden death early in the morning, so we went to that, and then did the paperwork.

Then there were quite a few domestics in the afternoon, so we were out looking for the suspects and then bringing them into custody. It was pretty intense all day, really.

It doesn’t usually come down to drawing names out of a hat – we can usually sort it all out, without anyone being forced to work.

I was aware I didn’t work it last time, and my family are that bit older, whereas some of the others have younger children, so it was quite easy to work out amicably – there was nobody having to work who didn’t want to.

Since my kids are older, they’ll probably be grateful for a bit more of a lie-in, to be honest. Hopefully, we’ll get the chance to facetime and keep in contact that way. I’ll probably not even be missed – and I’ve got out of cooking!

Usually we’ll be on before seven, so we can relieve our colleagues who have been on the night shift, and they can go home to their families.

We’ll get in as early as we can to let them go, and then hopefully we’ll get relieved around seven pm, depending on the job and resources we’ve got on.

My family will eat as normal, and I’ll get something plated up for myself, which I’m more than happy about, and then [I’ll spend] Boxing Day with them all.

But we’ll try and maybe organise something as a team who are on – maybe do a bit of buffet, who knows? – but we try not to plan anything too concrete, because things don’t always go to plan when you’re at work.

It’s just the same as every other day, to be honest – you don’t know what you’re coming in to.

Around the Christmas period generally there’s a significant increase in drink-driving, but there’s nothing else that increases any more than usual.

Generally, people don’t want the police there, and definitely don’t want them there on Christmas Day. However, if we are needed, we are there.

We attend lots of things, not always negative – such as when people are in distress and need us. We’re generally the first people who are called.

Sometimes we’re called to situations where there’s concern for somebody’s welfare – usually, there’s an element of mental health or something like that. Those are the times when we can have a positive impact on that person and their family, and show them some support. They’re the jobs that give me most pleasure.

There’s always something we can be doing, because if there’s not jobs coming in, we like to be proactive and go out and make our presence felt in the community, engaging with people and offering reassurance that we’re here.

So ‘quiet’ is not really a word we use very often. Obviously, when it comes to Christmas, we want not to have to have an impact on anyone negatively, but it might have to come to that, so we’re here regardless, like any other day of the year.

We’re here to be called on, and it doesn’t really make any difference that it’s Christmas Day, unfortunately. But yes, we would like it to be quiet. Peaceful for everybody – goodwill to everyone and all that.

We’re not the only people that have to work on Christmas Day. There’s hospitality, retail – there are lots of people who do it.

We knew that it would be part and parcel of the job, so we’re proud to come in, represent the force and do our bit.