Police bond brings mums and daughters closer

Two mothers and their daughters say sharing a policing career has brought them closer than they ever expected.

From late career leaps into neighbourhood roles to front line roads policing, the pairs say working for the force in the Thames Valley has reshaped what Mother's Day means to them – adding pride, worry and plenty of unexpected moments.

PC Molly Clague, from east Berkshire, says the day is a reminder of how much her mother, Supt Helen Kenny, inspired her career and helped shape the kind of person and officer she wanted to become.

"There are so many opportunities in the police to serve our communities in different ways, but at the heart of it, my mum and I are both working towards the same goal of keeping people safe and supporting the public," says Molly.

Although Helen now calls her daughter a colleague as well as a friend, she admits she was initially "horrified" to hear Molly was joining, knowing the challenges and risks an officer faces.

"It definitely led to a few sleepless nights worrying about her," she says.

But Helen says she is proud of her daughter, who is part of the road policing unit, and enjoys serving alongside her.

Their dynamic has shifted as they swap advice over glasses of wine, though Helen jokes that emails addressed to "Ma'am" rather than "Mum" still feel strange.

For Joanne Donohoe and her daughter Charlotte, the role reversal has been just as striking.

Charlotte joined the police in 2014 and is now head of specialist safeguarding.

Joanne followed her last year after more than two decades working with pupils with special educational needs.

She says seeing Charlotte's "dedication" as a police officer was one of her "biggest inspirations" on her path to becoming a police community support officer (PCSO).

"I hope I can make her feel proud," Joanne says.

She admits that she was worried about embarrassing Charlotte at first but she says: "I have seen her several times and she's always been quite excited to say 'this is my mum' and introduce me."

Charlotte says it's been "exciting" to watch her mother take on a demanding new career later in life, adding that hearing praise for Joanne from residents who do not know they are related has been especially meaningful.

"We never had hobbies that we did together but this is nice - to have something in common that we can talk about," she says.

Speaking about her daughter, Joanne adds: "I always knew she was good at her job, but now I see just how skilled and knowledgeable she really is.

"We share not just a family bond, but a place in the same policing family.

"We understand each other's world in a new way, the pressures, the long days and the rewards."

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