JESS MCDONALD: the reality of being a detective in The Met

By Jon Snow

Snowcast

01/08/23·39m 25s

Jess McDonald was one of the first recruits on The Metropolitan Police’s Direct Entry Detective Scheme. Launched in 2017, to address a shortage of detectives, this scheme was not without its critics. Successful applicants had a direct route into a career as a detective, without first undertaking a role in uniform policing.

When Jess first pitched an idea for a book, she wanted to bridge the gap between people’s fascination with true crime and the reality of what it is to be a detective. But she ended up leaving the job she loved and writing about the challenges she found - both in The Met and the justice system.

Jess believes that transparency can only be bracingly positive. A sentiment that was shared by Baroness Casey, when she conducted a year-long review of The Met, following the murder of Sarah Everard, by a serving officer.

Given that Jess worked on cases of domestic abuse, this interview may include content that some may find triggering. But it’s a fascinating insight into the life, and work, of a Met detective.