Case of true love for partners in crimefighting

Working for the police takes a certain kind of personal strength, resilience and dedication - much like marriage, some might say.

But one couple from Buckinghamshire are proving the two institutions can go hand in hand successfully, together clocking up a combined 83 years' service for Thames Valley Police.

Madge and Ed Ryan, both 69 and from Aylesbury, met and fell in love as young police officers on the beat in Chesham in the late 1970s.

Their partnership has endured long work shifts, career moves and departures to raise a growing family, and the two now work as civilians within the same police investigation team.

Mrs Ryan joined the force in 1978 as a WPC and met Mr Ryan when she was 24 and he was 23, when they were both stationed at Chesham.

She left the force to start their family but re-joined in 2000 as a civilian.

Mr Ryan, who signed up for service aged 19 in 1975, made the move from officer to civilian with the force in 2008.

Mrs Ryan recalled that when she first met her husband, she could only see the back of his head.

"He was nice, he was very kind and funny, but I also thought he was a little bit of a prat," she said.

"It wasn't until we had a party at my living accommodation in Amersham, that I got to know him."

Mr Ryan said: "It did take some time, we just got to know each other like all good stories, and then we started to go out and meet after duty."

Fifteen months later, in 1980, the couple married.

No one knew of their relationship at the beginning as officers could not work together if they were partners, Mrs Ryan said.

"When we got engaged, I had to move," she revealed.

"I did question it, I said 'hang on, is it because I'm a female, why isn't he moving', and that didn't go down very well.

"I was then told, you can have his breakfast ready when he comes home."

Despite having to navigate the misogyny of the time, Mrs Ryan said it was a job she loved and it was her "passion".

"I liked the uniform, you had to wear a skirt, people saw the uniform first, I think it was smart and you could have a bit of command," she said.

Mrs Ryan said: "When we started a family, it was a case of I couldn't continue working shifts, so I had to leave," she said.

But she did return.

After having two boys and two girls, Mrs Ryan rejoined the force in 2000, working part-time.

"It still drives me," she said.

Mr Ryan stayed with the force and his career progressed, leading to a move into CID.

He left the force as an officer but also rejoined as a civilian in 2008.

"I've always liked locking up the person who committed the crime and solving the crime", he said.

Thames Valley Police also paid tribute to their commitment, saying: "It is often said that policing is a family, Ed and Madge take this a little more literally.

"Their adaptability, resilience, and dedication to public service has been a constant throughout their professional and personal lives, and they epitomise pride in TVP.

"We are equally proud that they are still part of that family after so many years."

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