'Your culture or gender shouldn't stop you joining police'

As a little girl, Aqsa Saleem loved watching crime dramas and wanted to be an FBI agent. Now, the young British Asian woman has been awarded for overcoming disadvantage and cultural barriers to succeed in her career as a police detective.

"Stereotypically, a young Asian woman wouldn't be encouraged to join the police," the 22-year-old said.

"There's a whole host of reasons why, because culturally women are seen as something we should protect.

"Culturally and religiously, the women should be at home, but that is stuff from centuries ago."

Ms Saleem, from Dewbsury, was supposed to be going to study medicine when she saw an advert for the detective constable training scheme.

She has now been honoured with the Achievement in the Public Sector Award at the Yorkshire Asian Young Achievers Awards in Bradford held on 27 November.

The awards celebrate young people of South Asian heritage, aged between 16 and 35, who were born, live or work in Yorkshire and have overcome challenges to succeed in their careers.

Ms Saleem said it was not just the cultural challenges she has faced but also having to adapt to the often traumatic incident police officers have to deal with.

"A general member of the public sees a handful of traumatic incidents in their lives, but a police officer sees hundreds and that is something that at any age you're not really prepared for. There's no way to prepare for it.

"There was a time when I went to two deaths, a husband and a wife had passed away in their home and in the evening we had a murder come in.

"So that's three deaths I've seen in in the space of about six hours. No one is meant to see that, but in this role you sort of sign up to see that."

Ms Saleem was encouraged by her father, who served in the police for 20 years and was a constable before becoming a chief inspector.

"He's dedicated his whole life to this job," she said.

"Coming home, he'd tell me some brief snippets about his day, and as I got older I realised how much of a difference he was making.

"He'd get up every day, go to work, and was consistently making an effort to change people's lives.

"It's only when I got older I realised how impactful a role he had and how a PC can genuinely change someone's life."

During her training she spent 10 weeks on the beat, which she "absolutely loved".

"We went to all sorts of jobs ranging from domestic jobs, burglaries, robberies, assaults. I had one or two foot chases that was enough to put me off for life.

"But honestly, if you asked me to do another 10 weeks in in uniform again, I'd jump at the chance," she said.

Being 5ft 2in and wearing a headscarf, she was not what a lot of people expected of "a bobby on the beat".

"I got some comments, not sort of malicious comments. They would just say, 'Oh, I didn't know people wearing headscarves would join the police.'

"And I'm like, 'oh, well, why not? You're probably having more banter with me than the next person.'"

While she is proud to be breaking down stereotypes in policing, she says it is important young Asian women believe they can do anything.

"You don't have to settle for a job that your family are wanting you to do," she said.

"I want women to feel they can make a positive difference in their community and whether they think people are watching or not.

"There is always a young girl or a young boy watching who could be inspired by you.

"So it's really important to carry yourself with a lot of pride."

Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.