St Albans police officer Sgt Andrew Thomas is set to appear on TV, following a chance meeting in a barber shop.

Tommo, who has been a police officer since 2017, bumped into charismatic interviewer Dr G in Lattimore Road's Extreme Kutz.

The officer and Dr G - who hosts a popular slot on Christian TV network TBN - began talking, leading to the sergeant being invited to share his story on the interviewer's programme.

Tommo said: "We were chatting about policing, racism and my work in the positive action recruitment team in the barbers, and Dr G asked if I’d be prepared to go on camera and talk about it.

“I was a bit taken aback and nervous because his programme on Sky is well known in the Black community, but I did it!

“I love being a police officer because you can actually see the difference you’re making every day.

"I was kicked out of every secondary school I went to, I was a troubled kid, in care for a long time living in London and one day I ended up being dealt with by the police.

"Looking back now, I was involved in a silly incident, but it was a turning point for me.

Herts Advertiser: Sgt Andrew Thomas was invited onto the show after telling Dr G his story.Sgt Andrew Thomas was invited onto the show after telling Dr G his story. (Image: Hertfordshire Constabulary)
“The officer who dealt with me drove me home, gave me a child caution and a big talking to! He told me how he’d been in the Army for 20-odd years, and it was like he was challenging me: could I do it?

"The next day I applied, and the rest is history. I was then moulded by the Army, with a strong moral code, and later I passed all my exams.”

The sergeant, who is now 36, left the army after ten years and went to work in recruitment. He later joined Hertfordshire police, having disliked sitting behind a desk all the time.

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While he doesn’t know the officer who set him on the right path all those years ago, the father-of-three has tried to ‘pass it on’ during his time: “I have tried to help some troubled kids.

"Often, they are good kids at heart and just need something to look forward to so I'll say: ‘Stay out of trouble and I’ll take you out in the police car’, and they do, it’s great.

"I’ve had to work hard to get where I am and I encourage others to do the same.”