Officer Talks Of Her Pride At Being Part Of The Policing Team Out At The Euros

A North Wales Police officer has spoken of her pride at being the only female Dedicated Football Officer from a Welsh force to have been fortunate enough to work at a major football championship. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

PC Heidi Goldsack, who is North Wales Police’ Dedicated Football Officer, recently returned to work following a five-week stint helping to police the Football European Championship in France. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The busy mum-of-two, who is based within the Operational Planning Department at Police Headquarters in Colwyn Bay, spent over five weeks away from her family ensuring the safety of the travelling Welsh supporters. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

PC Goldsack, who was part of the policing team led by Superintendent Steve Furnham of South Wales Police, began her journey travelling to Stokholm for Wales’ warm-up game against Sweden before heading straight to France. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Welsh officers then travelled direct from Sweden to Paris and spent time at the police intelligence centre where they met police officers from the other 23 nations who were competing at the tournament. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

PC Goldsack said she was ‘incredibly proud’ to have been chosen for the role. She said: “To be selected for the role was a massive honour not only for me personally but also an honour for North Wales Police. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“My main role whilst out in France was to support our French colleagues in the policing of the tournament and making sure that the travelling Welsh fans had a safe and enjoyable time. We provided assistance and gave our French colleagues an insight to the mindset of Welsh fans. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We were deployed on the ground for all the matches and worked as a team to assist pre, during and post-matches. I was extremely fortunate to attend all stadiums for the Welsh games – an incredible experience, especially when you heard the Welsh national anthem being sung. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“To be part of something historic is also amazing and one that I am incredibly proud to have been involved with, especially as this was the first time Wales had qualified for a major tournament in almost 60 years. It was an incredible experience.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

PC Goldsack has experience when it comes to policing football and has been policing the Wrexham games since January 2013 and also policed a number of the Euro 2016 qualifying fixtures. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Part of her role has been engagement with the football community and linking in closely with colleagues from other police forces. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

PC Goldsack added: “The highlight of the tournament though has to be the Belgium game – the stadium just erupted and the atmosphere was incredible. I’ll never forget seeing the sea of red shirts, all singing and celebrating. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“It was a tiring experience, certainly not a holiday. Some days we were working 15 to 16 hour days and during one day I walked 24 kilometres – and that was with body armour and all of my kit. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Everywhere we travelled to in France people were telling us how much they were looking forward to seeing the Welsh fans. People were stopping us for selfies and we also bumped into many familiar faces from home which was lovely to see.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

However, the hardest part for PC Goldsack was being away from her family for so long. She said: “We had no idea how long we were going to be out in France so it was really difficult saying goodbye to my husband and two daughters. At one point whilst talking to my 4-year-old over ‘Facetime’, she asked me, ‘so who’s going to be my mummy now’? That was heart-wrenching. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“During the five weeks I was there I managed to come home for one day which was priceless. I’m extremely lucky to have a great family network who helped out with childcare as my husband is also a Police Officer. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“After returning home we spent some quality time as a family and I now look forward to the forthcoming season with the Wrexham matches.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Commenting on PC Goldsack’s time out in France, Deputy Chief Constable Gareth Pritchard said: “I’ve spoken to Heidi after her return from France and I am grateful for all her work with the supporters during the tournament. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“She has clearly assisted a number of individuals and children who were visiting the football matches and I know they have greatly appreciated her support when in difficult situations. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“Heidi has been a fine ambassador for the force and will continue with her work as Dedicated Football Liaison Officer in the forthcoming season.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​