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Bangla bobby says bye bye
26/ 9/2003
OLDHAM's only Bangla speaking police officer is about to leave
his beat for good after 26-years in the Greater Manchester
force.
Westwood and Coldhurst beat bobby PC Phil Buckley will retire this
month and exchanging handcuffs for a high flying business
career.
He plans to open a travel agents with two partners.
PC Buckley, aged 56, has been working with the Bangladeshi
community for 14-years building links with people in his patch by
learning their language and studying for a part-time Islamic degree
at Manchester University so he can understand their culture and
religion.
He has visited Bangladesh five times on fact finding missions and
is about to go again, but this for a long requirement
holiday.
His tireless efforts won him the Community Policeman of the Year
title in 1998 and in 2001 he was awarded the Queen's Police
medal.
Phil held a multicultural retirement party at Westwood East
Restaurant where Asian music and Scottish bagpipes provided the
entertainment:
He said: "Even though I've retired, I don't want to let my skills
and relations with the Bangladeshi community go to compete
waste.
"Which is why I've decided to go into business with two partners
and open a travel agents in Chadderton Way, in the heart of the
Bengali community.
"We will offer flights to Bangladesh, India and Pakistan to start
with and then move onto other destinations.This is an ideal
opportunity where I can still work with the Bangladeshi community
and do something exciting."
PC Buckley joined the police force in 1978 . He spent three years
in Oldham town centre before moving to Saddleworth for seven years
and then into Westwood and Coldhurst for the remainder of his
career.
He is known by Bangladeshis as "bhondu" which means friend in
Bengali.
He said: "Obviously it was a culture shock when I first got the
Westwood posting but I was eager to learn about the community I
serve.
"The most important thing I learnt policing the district was to
become involved with the people by speaking their language and
understanding their culture.
"Knowing the language is a real ice breaker. People are always
surprised and then really welcoming towards me.
"When I walk down the streets, uncles and aunties will always
invite me in for tea and a chat - this is always very heart
warming."
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