Notts Police receives gold accolade for military employment scheme

Chief Constable Kate Meynell collects the Gold Award certificate on behalf of Nottinghamshire Police

Nottinghamshire Police has been recognised with a prestigious award by the Ministry of Defence for its support of the armed forces.

The Armed Forces Covenant Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) 2023 Gold Award has been granted to the force in recognition of its support for the armed forces community and for its alignment with the values of the Armed Forces Covenant.

To achieve gold award standards, nominees must have signed the Armed Forces Covenant and proactively demonstrated forces-friendly credentials in their recruiting and selection processes. 

They also actively ensure their workforce is aware of their positive policies towards issues relating to those in the forces and are advocates in support of those issues to partner organisations, suppliers, and customers.

Gold award employers also actively encourage a positive environment for reservists and demonstrate support for such staff to carry out activities required in the role, with at least 10 days’ additional fully paid leave for training.

Nottinghamshire Police was assessed for the Gold Award by a board which included a senior military officer and is one of only 14 recipients in the East Midlands for 2023.

On Thursday evening, Chief Constable Kate Meynell attended a ceremony to collect the accolade on behalf of Nottinghamshire Police, accompanied by PC Steven Van Der Bank and PCSO Steven Timperley, of the force’s Armed Forces Network.

Speaking after the ceremony, held at the Prince William of Gloucestershire Barracks in Grantham, CC Meynell said: “Receiving the Gold award is a very proud moment for us as an organisation. It is a magnificent achievement I’m thrilled the endeavours of officers and staff across the force have been recognised.

“It demonstrates how members of the armed forces community within Nottinghamshire, whether employed by us or in the communities we serve, receive the best possible service we can offer.

“Our work with the armed forces community will continue and we look forward to supporting them in any way we can.”

There are 120 veterans serving as colleagues with Nottinghamshire Police currently  - and the force is taking positive steps to continue to attract more ex-services personnel to its ranks.

The force and the University of Derby recently launched the country's first scheme to provide a direct employment pathway for those in their military resettlement period to join the police service.

PCSO Steven Timperley, chair of the Nottinghamshire Police Armed Forces Network and who collated huge amounts of evidence to support the application for the Gold Award, said: “It took a long time to build up the portfolio but it became a labour of love and that hard work certainly paid off.

“The ceremony was an absolutely phenomenal evening and a very proud night for Nottinghamshire Police.

“There are many blue light services which have not yet achieved this award so it is a hugely significant milestone for the force.”

The award comes one year after the force resigned the Armed Forces Covenant, pledging to support both current and former members of the armed forces.