A POLICE officer has appeared in a ‘fly on the wall’ documentary showing how senior women detectives balance their jobs with their personal lives.

The six-part ITV series, Married to the Job, shows how four detectives from Hertfordshire Constabulary balance running investigations into sometimes serious and disturbing crimes with their personal and family lives.

The series was filmed over a year, with unprecedented access to officers from the Hertfordshire force at home and at work.

The programme introduces Detective Inspector Kay Lancaster, who comes from Letchworth GC and leads Operation Manhunt – a Hertfordshire Police team targeting criminals who prey on the elderly. It is one of five teams she manages.

Her chief constable has just given top priority to her team’s investigation into a gang who have notched up 13 distraction burglaries against pensioners.

DI Lancaster says she keeps her working kit of fluorescent jacket and wellies under her desk, just in case. “I always wear high heels (in the office) because otherwise people think I’m a munchkin,” she said. “But I have been known to have to stand in a field most of the night digging up a shallow grave, and you don’t want to do that in high heels.”

At home and off duty, the programme shows Kay juggling work calls and cooking duties for her two boys. “I think my children have got crime in perspective,” she said. “They’re not scared, because I’m protecting them.

“Of course the filming was intrusive, we are not used to such things, we are naturally a closed shop. It is the first time cameras have had access, but the crew were lovely and we ended up being friends with them.

“The whole idea was it showed my life and what our team does and it showed the human element to policing and how hard everyone works.

“I hope it also raises awareness of distraction burglaries and rogue traders who predominantly target the elderly.

“I am passionate about policing in North Herts because I feel I am protecting the people I know.”

When asked if she is married to the job, she said: “I am in a relationship with the job, but not married to it.”

The weekly series started last Thursday and is shown at 8.30pm on ITV.