New Nottinghamshire police recruits ready for duty after parade
More than 30 new officers will be reporting for duty after they were formally welcomed into the force.
Last updated 30th Mar 2024
Two cohorts took part in a pass-out parade at force headquarters, including apprentice constables and police community support officers (PCSOs).
They will now report for duty at police stations across the county, having completed their initial training courses.
The parade was held on Thursday (28 March) in front of proud families and friends.
Among the 34 new recruits was PC Harry Stevenson, who applied to join Nottinghamshire Police after completing his A-levels at Kimberley School.
The 19-year-old, who is joining the team at Mansfield Police Station, revealed he was fulfilling a childhood ambition by becoming a police officer. He said:
“Initially, and for a long time, I wanted to join the medical field and become a doctor. This changed when I started my A-Levels. I started to speak to people I knew and a police officer who I met at a Forest match.
When speaking to these people I started to realise that as a police officer, you are the first person on scene most of the time, the first person there in someone's time of need.
It seemed such a rewarding job where I would be able to help and interact with members of the community, so I applied."
There are a number of entry routes into policing, with PC Stevenson and his fellow cohort members joining via the Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship (PCDA) route.
The PCDA mixes dynamic practical on-the-job learning alongside academic classroom-based theory and is run in conjunction between Nottinghamshire Police and the University of Derby.
This week’s ceremony marked the students passing the initial learning part of the PCDA, paving the way for them to go out on shifts.
PC Siantai Scott, another member of the cohort, said she was looking forward to putting what she’d learnt in the classroom into practice.
The 21-year-old, who was previously in the Police Cadets, said: "Training school has been fun and all the trainers have been great, but I cannot wait to start my shifts."