Nine new Police Now recruits start with Staffordshire Police

Nine new recruits who joined the force on a national leadership programme for graduates have started their training with the force this week.

The Police Now recruits, including a former teacher, lecturer and outreach worker, have recently completed six weeks of intensive training in Manchester. This was a combination of operational training, field training and classroom-based education.

The two-year National Graduation Leadership Programme develops graduates to be warranted neighbourhood police constables with a focus on attracting those who might not otherwise have considered a career in policing.

They will now continue their development with their own force - Staffordshire Police. They will learn about local policies and procedures and spend time one-to-one with a local mentor to build their policing and neighbourhood skills and achieve independent patrol status.

They will spend two years in frontline policing embedded in one community. This gives them the opportunity to tackle long-term problems and bring new thinking to the demands of their neighbourhoods.

Chief Inspector Mark Ward, Police Now project lead, said: “I’ve seen first-hand the work and impact that Police Now recruits have had in communities across the UK – reducing crime, transforming communities and improving public confidence.

“It is one of a range of ways to become a police officer in Staffordshire and recruits become community officers with responsibility for one area. They are encouraged to bring new thinking to the demands of their neighbourhoods.”