The TT is the busiest time in the island with thousands rocking up to immerse themselves into the adrenaline-fuelled atmosphere. With this sharp rise in visitors and activities, our reporter Jess Ward shadows PC Mike Griffiths and PC Paddy Moore for a day to find out what the festival is like from their perspectives.

We start our shift at 8am, PC Mike tells me. ’Okay, no problem. I’ll make that,’ I reply. ’It’s a 12 hour shift, so you’ll be finishing at 8pm,’ he continued. There’s a pause on the phone. ’You’re pulling my leg, right?’ I say a tad nervously.

He was for me, but for the pair it would be their sixth 12-hour shift during this year’s TT.

I arrived at Isle of Man police headquarters in Douglas at a respectable time of 10am on Tuesday (June 4).

Mike showed me through to their desks and I’m given a hi-vis jacket to not only look the part, but to combat the wet weather that we’d be heading into.

The duo, who were jointly named Isle of Man Newspapers’ 2018 Community Police Officer of the Year, tell me the most essential part of their job is to ’engage with the public’.

’That’s what it’s all about,’ said Mike. ’Making relationships with people and building trust.’

We started off in the hub of TT - the Grandstand paddock.

Popping into one of the gazebos, the PCs were warmly greeted by Aussie sidecar racer Mick Alton who was the quickest newcomer in the 2016 TT Festival along with Chrissie Clancy.

This year he and Stephen Bonney gained 16th place in the sidecar race on Monday.

Catching up on Mr Alton’s race and sharing disappointment about the dismal weather disrupting races, the pair continued on their way into the crowded places of Douglas where their skills in interacting with people shined.

People’s faces lit up when their photo requests were straightaway granted with an added bonus of having a custodian helmet placed on their head, being picked up by both PCs or handcuffed.

Throughout the day people would flock around the officers, who took it all in their stride using their cheeky quips to generate laughter.

Directions to public toilets, tourist information, certain shops or good places for a hearty breakfast were answered along with the words ’stay safe and have a good TT’ by the officers.

One visitor turned to me and said: ’The police are doing a fantastic job. We’ve appreciated them ever since we arrived here.’

Very quickly I learn that my speedy walking around the Grandstand and in the town centre had to be dialled down. ’If people think you’re sauntering they’ll stop and talk to you,’ said PC Paddy. ’

We want them to approach us.’

Mike added: ’When you’re walking along you’re always looking for something.’

One violation that was in no short supply across the promenade was illegal parking.

All joking was put aside when the men spoke to owners of vehicles parked on double yellow lines as well as those who had left keys in vans while carrying out deliveries.

When I asked about the dozens of motorbikes parked on the pavements, they explained that as the owners weren’t around there was nothing they could do and that it was an inevitable thing during TT.

A couple of times the officers’ radios would go off telling them a suspected burglar had been locked up or a complaint had come in about motorbikes being damaged in town - which we later followed up using the CCTV operation room.

I was told it was a ’quiet day’ as the crowds are small and the police radios would normally be going mad with reports.

’PC Rain is brilliant,’ Mike tells me.

Paddy added: ’The public have dissolved because they’re made of sugar.’

The pubs, however, act as shelters for visitors who are camping out in the rain or are at a loss of having something else to do while the races are off.

’We’ve got all these people, they’re all frustrated because of the weather and they go to the pubs. It could be a sparking point,’ Mike says.

’We go in and they have a lot of fun with us and think "the police are here", so it’s not going to be kicking off.’

A bus ride up to headquarters and a quick break later, I’m escorted in a police vehicle - for the first time - to Douglas Rugby Club campsite to check on campers and then to Jaks pub to follow up on an investigation.

It might seem like a quiet day to them, but from my point of view they were constantly on the move.

Every year, PC Mike looks forward to the atmosphere that the TT Festival brings.

’It’s a buzz around the island and nice to see people enjoying themselves most of the time,’ he said. ’Everyone thinks we’ve got German officers and others from the UK, but it’s just us.’

PC Paddy, who has been in the force for 24 years, added: ’For me, it’s dealing with new people.

’I’ve done the TT for years. It’s nice that visitors want to engage with us all the time.’

Having been part of the police force for about 14 years, Mike said: ’I was working in the police in Peel and moved back to Douglas where I was told I would have to work as a community officer.

’We tend to look at things as "why has that happened?" and "why are people behaving like that?" instead of locking them up and taking them to court.

’It’s the best job in the world. We see that what we do makes a difference to people.’

Sitting in the back of the police vehicle with the door only opening from the outside, PC Paddy and PC Mike plot against me by cuffing my hands and getting me to do the walk of shame.

I’m given the key to set me free, but it’s a taunt. They finally unlock it before I go to the police briefing for those who would be on duty that night.

With visitors and residents coming in to watch the Red Arrows display, traffic management was one key issue highlighted during the meeting.

The policewomen and men were encouraged to be especially vigilant with nightclubs in the area following the show with there being the possibility of anti-social behaviour and underage drinking to look out for.

Inspector Kevin Quirk responsible for all events during TT in the Douglas Promenade area, told the officers: ’Last night went really well.

’Everybody got involved and we need to do exactly the same.

’We need to look after our kids. You’re all corporate parents and we need to get them home as soon as we can.

’Go into licensed premises and walk through.’

The fair on the promenade was another area where police attention was due to be heavy because of issues such as missing phones and ’kids taking risks’.

Handing in my hi-vis jacket, I thanked the PCs for giving me the exclusive insight. I had thoroughly enjoyed my shadowing experience and seeing what goes into helping and protecting residents during the TT.

It was also exciting, as a young reporter, to get a glimpse of the other side in terms of the procedures that take place before information is sent to our newsroom.

The police’s Douglas team came across as a very tight-knit unit and although serious, their in-jokes and teasing made the office a nice place to be.

I was intrigued at the mentality side of things - how police officers are able to maintain friendly relationships with people while reminding them to stay within the bounds of law.

It’s a fine balance to achieve, but from what I saw on the day both Paddy and Mike have got it spot on.