Ex-military personnel get first taste of frontline policing

Response policing teams have been boosted by the arrival of ex-military personnel who are training to become police officers.

Nottinghamshire Police 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.

The first cohort took part in a passing out parade at the force’s headquarters on Friday (7 July 2023) having completed their initial training.

They have now been dispatched to Response teams across Nottinghamshire where they will help policing colleagues respond to emergency and non-emergency calls from members of the public.

The six recruits will spend ten weeks with the Response units having been fast-tracked through year one of the Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship (PCDA).

Upon completion of the PCDA, the recruits will graduate and become fully-fledged police officers with Nottinghamshire Police.

They include PC Christopher Wagstaff, who served in a bomb disposal unit within the Royal Engineers before join Nottinghamshire Police.

He said: “The training was really good. I’m now with the Response team at Newark and it’s good to be putting what we’ve learnt so far into practice.

“The experience is invaluable. I’ve been with the team for only two days and already I’ve attended a variety of incidents, including a serious road traffic collision, a concern for welfare incident and a vehicle stranded in a dangerous place.

“I’m receiving a lot of support and everyone on the team has been really friendly and welcoming.”

The married dad-of-two, from Mansfield, whose bomb disposal unit was predominantly based at Carver Barracks, near Saffron Walden, said the skills he gained during his military career transfer well into the police service.

“I think anyone from the military is well-suited to the police service,” he said. “No matter what your role is, you work as a team and that’s certainly applicable to being a police officer. There’s also the discipline side of things – as military service leavers, that’s something we all have.”

Launched at RAF Cranwell in March, the Military Service Leavers Pathway into Policing programme is part of an employment pathway that has been validated by the University of Derby, which is providing the teaching for the programme, and is supported by the Ministry of Defence.

Sergeant Dylan Boddy, of the force’s Learning & Development team, said the pilot Military Service Leavers Pathway into Policing programme was receiving positive feedback.

He said: “This is a pioneering scheme that provides a direct pathway for military service leavers, who are in their resettlement period, to move into an exciting career with Nottinghamshire Police.

“So far, the feedback from the cohort has been really good. They’ve completed their initial 12 weeks of training and are now really keen to get into the community to serve as police officers.

“The standards have been really high, which is no surprise given their previous experience in the military service.”

Friday’s passing out parade also included a new PCSO and two Special Constables, who have also undergone weeks of training ahead of taking up their new roles in the community.

The parade was overseen by Assistant Chief Constable Steve Cooper, who said: “I am delighted to welcome the latest recruits on-board and wish them every success in their future roles.

“We are particularly proud to be the first in the country to launch the Military Service Leavers Pathway into Policing programme in partnership with the University of Derby.

“It is an exciting and innovative new pathway that recognises the valuable experience those who have been in the military can bring to policing.

“Their service and commitment will be greatly appreciated by those who live, work and visit Nottinghamshire.”

Among those in attendance at the parade was Nottinghamshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Caroline Henry. She said: “I was really proud to see our trailblazing military to policing pathway in action as our first set of officers took part in their passing out ceremony on Friday.

“These brave individuals have served their country proudly, and now they are going to serve Nottinghamshire Police in the same way.

“Military service leavers have a lot of the skills we want in police officers and the life experience, professionalism and teamwork they bring with them will be invaluable.”