More recruits join Nottinghamshire Police to bolster ranks

The groups passed out at a ceremony at the force's headquarters yesterday December 17, overseen by Deputy Chief Constable Rachel Barber and Assistant Chief Constable Rob Griffin, after completing their 18-week long training programme.

The officers have completed a mix of classroom training and operational attachments with their tutors. Over the coming weeks, the new recruits will be deployed across the county, where they will undertake a range of duties in their new roles alongside their tutor officers.

The new cohort included PC Sianna Bennett, a former postal worker who has now followed in her father’s footsteps by joining Nottinghamshire Police.

The 25-year-old said: “My dad was a police officer with the force and has just retired after 22 years. It’s nice to be following in his footsteps and he’s given me lots of good advice.

“I really enjoyed the training – everyone got on really well and we’ve become a very close-knit cohort.

"The trainers were really good too and have prepared us well for the job.”

Yesterday’s ceremony also saw another 15 recruits pass out as Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs).

PCSOs act as a key liaison point between local communities and policing.

Publicly facing, they provide a visible and approachable uniformed presence in the community to offer reassurance, defuse situations with threats of conflict, improve confidence and trust, gather information and foster good community relations.

The force is already a year ahead on its recruitment trajectory which has already seen 243 new officers in post - over and above its target of 212 by March 2022 through the national Uplift programme.

Deputy Chief Constable Rachel Barber said: “I’d like to congratulate our latest cohorts on completing their training.

"As a force, we are continuing to make huge strides forward and this is because of the huge amount of work officers and staff have put into our recruitment processes.

"These include a real longer term focus on community and youth engagement programmes, schools outreach, and positive action.

"I would like to place on record my thanks to everyone who has made this possible including police staff and all those members of the community who have helped us to achieve this.”

To learn more about a policing career with the force visit: https://www.nottinghamshire.police.uk/careers/nottinghamshire-police-officer