Dream job already for 13 years

Detective Superintendent Jasper Uski
Western Uusimaa Police Department

I graduated from the Police University College in the first half of 2013. Probably like many others, I applied for the police path with a view to getting to work in police field work. On reflection, I thought that working in the field was my dream job, one that I would pursue until the end of my career. Looking back on my earlier thoughts from behind my computer/keyboard in an open-plan office, I can say that I was both right and wrong on reflection.

After graduating from the Police University College, I was so to say fortunate enough to continue working in my dream job in police field work. I remember that at the time of graduation, I was on night shift that particular evening. I started the shift as a constable intern but ended it at the turn of the new day as a senior constable. Getting to add stripes to the shoulder at midnight was an important and memorable moment for me. 

Highs and lows

I worked in the field for around eight years. I experienced many highs in the field, but I also saw the lows of police work in all its brutality. I graduated with a master of laws degree in 2020, and very soon after that came the switch of my own accord from the field to a desk job. I’d now seen my dream job in the field as it was and done my bit.

I started out as an investigator in day-to-day investigations. My first supervisory role was as a team leader in day-to-day investigations. From there, I moved on to the role of detective superintendent in the preliminary investigation unit, where I was responsible for handling demanding investigation requests and managing the unit. From the preliminary investigation unit, I moved on to the position of head of investigations in operational (daily) investigations, where I still work today. In addition to operational investigations, my responsibilities have also included demanding traffic crime investigations, which have served as a good counterbalance to everyday crime cases.

I’ve also been on job rotation in the legal affairs unit and through that got to see the “wonderous” world of the oversight of legality. In addition, my career has also included the duties of an official supervisor, which means that I still occasionally spend my Saturdays wishing everyone watching the live Lotto broadcast a good evening from the other side of the screen. 

Keep an open mind

At the application stage to the Police University College, you might not necessarily, and nor should you, grasp what kind of different orientation or specialisation options police work offers to graduates. This diversity is definitely one of the strengths of our organisation. I've already experienced a lot myself, and I'm looking forward to seeing what else I'll be able to experience going forward.

If I could give just one piece of advice to anyone applying to the police, it would be to keep an open mind. This also applies to a career path; there’s much more than just field work, and crime investigation also offers a variety of interesting jobs. It is worth boldly seizing new challenges and opportunities. Even though my career has taken me from field work to office work, I still feel that I’m in my dream job and doing exactly what I enjoy and want to do.

PS: I don't think the inner field work guy in me has completely disappeared. I also do general management shifts, which admirably satisfy the hunger of a field work guy. So I still get to sense the atmosphere of the field, even though my perspective has changed a little.