UNIVERSITY NEWS LAST UPDATED : 04 AUGUST 2023
West Midlands Police’s longest-serving female officer, PC Rani Gundu QPM, has called on Birmingham City University (BCU) graduates to ‘help build more harmonious communities’ after receiving an honorary doctorate from the University.
Gundhu was bestowed BCU’s highest honour as part of the University’s summer graduation ceremonies at Birmingham’s Symphony Hall – In a speech, Gundhu called on the hundreds of graduates to ‘embrace diversity and inclusivity’ and to ‘respect other people’s differences’.
Gundhu has dedicated more than four decades of service to policing in the West Midlands and remains one of the leading champions of inclusion, diversity and women leaders. She was awarded the Queens Police Medal (QPM) in 2020 – the highest achievable honour in policing.
Guided by a passion for supporting communities and making a positive difference in people’s lives, Gundhu has led and participated on numerous Home Office projects, most recently the ‘Operation Uplift’ programme designed to recruit more than 20,000 new police officers nationally.
“The world we live in is vast and diverse, filled with challenges that can seem insurmountable, yet it is precisely in the face of adversity that the human spirit shines the brightest,” added Gundhu during her speech.
“Never underestimate the power of small actions, every act of kindness and every effort to bring up others can bring about profound transformation and growth.”
Throughout her career in the force, the honorary doctorate recipient has maintained a close relationship with BCU, including working alongside many of its graduates from the university’s various policing and criminology degree courses.
Alongside her Queens Police Medal, the tenured officer’s work has earned her the title of ‘Inspirational Woman in Policing’ by the National College of Policing and the National Black Police Association.