Birmingham imam-turned-officer bolsters police specialist unit tackling youth violence

A BIRMINGHAM imam has earned praise after joining a police unit that tackles “youth violence” by diverting young people away from “gang culture”.

PC Emad Choudhury, the West Midlands Police said, was “one of a few imams to become a police officer…. and is playing an influential role in reaching out to Muslim teenagers”.

The 29-year-old had spent five years at Birmingham’s Bahu Trust before joining the force as a student officer in 2018.

After graduating as a PC and, Choudhury was assigned duties with the Edgbaston neighbourhood team and a response shift attending emergency calls.

Now, he is part of the force’s Project Guardian team, a “specialist unit tasked with tackling knife crime and youth violence”.

Choudhury still delivers Friday prayers at the Bahu Trust, and uses his connections and influence in the community to “educate young people on the devastating impact of knife crime and steer them away from gangs”.

“It’s something I’m really passionate about,” said Choudhury. “Too many children, including some from my home in Sparkbrook, are being killed and lives ruined through knife crime.

“I know these communities; I live here and I know how it works. I’m trying to use my access to people here to prevent more lost lives and heartache.”

The officer said he had “a bit of banter” from some people he knew in the community on him joining the force.

“But no aggression… no one suggesting I’m a traitor or a sell-out,” he added.

Choudhury said people he interacted with were “intrigued” and wanted to know about his job.

“Two people I know have now applied to be police officers,” he said.

Kamran Shezad of the Bahu Trust, said Choudhury was helping change “lives of many young people in east Birmingham”.

“It’s good to see West Midlands Police recognise the unique position of influence Emad holds in the community he was born in and understands so well,” he added.

“Using both his imam and police hat, he is able to represent the police to the community and the community to the police.”

Notably, earlier this year, Choudhury and the Bahu Trust won a UN Safer Cities Award for a video they made on the story of two Muslim mothers affected by knife crime -- one mourning her son’s murder and the other, the killer’s mother, shunned by people in the community and anguished with shame.

Choudhury, who had scripted the video and involved young people in his Sparkbrook community for its production, is now working on another short film to be shown in mosques and schools. It will tell the “story of two friends whose lives grow apart when one is groomed by a gang to deal drugs”.

The imam-turned-officer had also run a scheme named Empowering Futures, which saw him work with a group of 16- to 19-year-olds “considered at risk of being drawn into crime”.

“Everyone completed the four-month course,” said Choudhury. “At first, it was difficult to get some to even sit in the same room as a police officer. Many of them belong to a boxing club, and now they’ve asked the local inspector to present awards at their end of season event. That’s how far we’ve come.”

Choudhury said he continued to be a “devout” Muslim even while “juggling religious and policing duties”.

“I thought it would be harder to be who I am,” he recalled. “I pray five times a day, at specific times, and was worried it would be difficult for the force to accommodate.

“In reality it’s been quite simple and my inspector understands there are brief moments in the day when I need to pause.

“There is a designated prayer room… but to be honest, I would be happy to whip out a prayer mat at the side of the road while on an operation if I needed to! Though that’s never needed to happen.”

Choudhury said the transformation from an imam to an officer was “really simple”.

“Police values are the same as my religion,” he said. “It boils down to being a good person, having a good heart and caring for people.”

The officer said the job “can feel crazy at times”, but gives one “a chance to impact on people’s lives in a positive way and make a difference”.

“I’ve helped people at times of crisis…and when you look in the mirror at the end of a shift that’s an amazing feeling,” he smiled.