Ex-police officer Paul Cooper has broken his silence about a childhood marred by abuse, neglect and the brutal failures of the care system and reveals how he fought back to overcome adversity to not only become a police officer but to create an app that has transformed policing across the country.
In his new book, From Trauma to Triumph: The Pocket Sergeant Journey, Paul, who worked for Lincolnshire Police, lifts the lid on the dark realities behind the public success story.
The 40-year-old dad-of-one grew up in Teesside with an abusive father and his beloved mother who tragically died from cancer when he was only seven. Not only did he lose his Mum, but he lost his only protector from his father, a violent alcoholic.
Aged just eight, Paul and his younger brother were put into care and lived with foster families, the first no better than his early childhood home, but the second was to become his ‘real’ family showering him with love, care and attention.
Recalling those early years growing up in Teesside is raw for Paul, but he is keen to tell his story to others who have survived trauma to offer some hope.
“Writing this book wasn’t easy,” says Paul, who spent his policing career with Lincolnshire Police and Cleveland Police.
“It meant revisiting some of the darkest chapters of my life. But through it all came resilience, and ultimately, the creation of Pocket Sergeant – a tool that’s now helping tens of thousands across frontline policing.
“This book is for anyone who has ever felt like giving up and for those who believe that adversity can fuel innovation and purpose.”
Against the odds, Paul became a frontline police officer. He developed his award-winning app, Pocket Sergeant, following a Eureka moment when he realised he could change frontline policing by saving officers’ valuable time and empower them with all the facts they would need at their fingertips – quite simply, a sergeant in their pocket, always on hand.
He knew from an early age that he wanted to become a police officer, and it wasn’t an easy road to join the force, so when he did, he couldn’t have been prouder. If someone had told him when he was at school that one day he would become a successful business owner, he probably wouldn’t have believed it.
But his incredible story is now told in the inspirational From Trauma to Triumph: The Pocket Sergeant Journey, which has already achieved number one in the Amazon book charts upon release.
“It does feel nerve-wracking to have my story out in the world,” says Paul, who now lives in Wynyard with his wife Linda and their 13-year-old son Chester.
“I’ve laid myself bare and talked about times in my life that I have never fully disclosed to anyone, except those closest to me. But the time seemed right now to tell it.”
Although Paul had a traumatic childhood surviving physical and mental abuse at the hands of those who should have cared for him the most, he always held out hope for his future.
“I have always been driven by helping other people; to making a difference in the world,” adds Paul, who is the winner of many awards, including the Tech for Good Award at Tees Tech Awards last year for Pocket Sergeant and the Innovation award at this year’s Tees Business Awards for his latest app, Misper.
“My journey to becoming a police officer was nearly derailed before it even began and then I was given an ultimatum of staying in the force or working on Pocket Sergeant full-time. Creating the app wasn’t just a technical achievement for me, but a personal one too. It means I can continue making a difference and helping police officers, even though I no longer work with them.
“It has also given me a new sense of purpose and direction.
“Writing this book has been cathartic. I want people to know that it doesn’t matter how dark your beginning is, there is always hope and there is always a way to rebuild your life.”
From Trauma to Triumph: The Pocket Sergeant Journey by Paul Cooper [Whitehall Publishing] is available in paperback and Kindle on Amazon at: amzn.eu/d/9atBue7 - and also available on Kindle Unlimited and Waterstones.