A heroic Suffolk police officer now famed for his literary work has spoken to local students about his incredible career.

Former sergeant Ali Livingstone – once dubbed "super cop" nationally for his arrests record – again gained praise across the country after writing his book "Broken Blue Line" last year.

After his near 20-year career policing the county's streets, Mr Livingstone switched careers having experienced a period of ill mental health – which inspired him to write the book.

Despite his personal struggles however, the lifesaver told students at Suffolk New College's recent online careers event about his love for the role and the importance of policing.

Mr Livingstone said: "When I was asked to get involved, I was absolutely delighted.

"I loved my time in policing and I still think it’s a fantastic career and one that is so, so important. I thoroughly enjoyed sharing my experiences.

“All public services can be tough at times, but the sense of pride and satisfaction is hard to describe.

"Whether it is saving someone’s life, bringing a dangerous criminal to justice or safeguarding a vulnerable victim, it really is a job like no other. And this is also true of so many of our public services, not just policing.”

East Anglian Daily Times: Ali Livingstone has penned a new book about his life in policing and his mental health breakdownAli Livingstone has penned a new book about his life in policing and his mental health breakdown (Image: Archant)

After leaving the constabulary, Mr Livingstone took up a role as a pastoral officer at a local high school.

He added: “I still can’t quite believe that my book, Broken Blue Line, is out there and people are reading my story. I wrote it when I was very poorly, so it is a very honest account of my career and then my mental health breakdown.

"Even now, some four months after it was released, rarely a day goes by when I don’t receive a message from someone telling me that they’ve read my book and it has helped them or changed their outlook on life.”

Other speakers included a representative from the parachute regiment, a cybercrime specialist, two nurses and firefighter Abigail Dowding.

Public services student Bethany Gray, 19, said: “I really enjoyed the talk from the police as this is what I want to do in the future.”

Lecturer and organiser Olly Waters added: “This was such a massively inspirational event for these guys. I couldn’t have hoped for a better outcome. It really snowballed as more and more industries got involved and we would like to thank everyone for giving up their time.”