If you’re a senior police officer, especially in a big-city force, then you almost expect to face the media on a fairly regular basis. It goes with the job.

Yet, already this year, we’ve seen two major shooting incidents in rural areas where such crimes are about as common as snow in August. First Derrick Bird up in West Cumbria, and now Raoul Moat in Northumbria.

Suddenly, police officers more used to the more mundane criminal activities of rural communities are thrust into the spotlight – and it can turn out to be a very harsh spotlight indeed.

Which is what temporary Chief Constable Sue Sim discovered last week when fronting the news conferences about the hunt for Raoul Moat.

As the Guardian reported, from her gaffe in saying that she would leave “every stone unturned”, to the jokey impersonation of an air stewardess as she pointed out at a public meeting the fire exits to worried locals, she found her every action scrutinised not just by the media, but also by her own officers who were working round the clock.

Sue Sim’s appearance was much commented upon…especially her hair-style…as was her slow-paced, over-enunciated delivery of the latest statement.

There is a blog entitled ‘The Police Inspector Blog’ written by ‘Inspector Gadget’ (a real police inspector at a county force somewhere in England). Let me quote from it:

“There is a huge and unfolding tragedy in Northumbria. It is the tragedy of T/Chief Constable Sue Sim, her wild hair and the number of times she can say ‘community’ in one sentence. Barely able to read a prepared statement, it has been, quite frankly, embarrassing to watch the most senior police officer we have available.”

Ouch!

Back to the Guardian: “Unfortunately for Sim, it is inevitable that people, especially women, who are suddenly thrust in front of the cameras are all too often judged on their appearance, and both her hair-style and her penchant for green eye shadow have been seized on.”

They also note the numerous nicknames given to Sue Sim and comparisons to TV  characters like Lady Tottington from Wallace & Gromit.

Okay – we’re not all police officers. We’re not all going to be in the eye of a storm during a police manhunt.

Yet many of us in many different walks of life can suddenly find ourselves facing cameras and microphones. On any news bulletin you can see lawyers, politicians, trades unionists, teachers, sports stars, people running business both large and small etc., etc. We live in a world of 24/7 news.

Equally, and this is important for everyone in business or in their careers, the way you present yourself – at sales meetings, at public gatherings (like Sue Sim), at client presentations, at networking events, even those one-on-one career appraisals with the boss – are crucial to your success.

You don’t just have to be a temporary Chief Constable to need media and presentation training. But as Sue Sim realised (I hope), it certainly helps.

Steve Ireland