Nottinghamshire Police is currently on a recruitment drive to increase its officer numbers, which stood at 2,408 as of October 2022. The force has introduced a new Military Service Leavers Pathway into Policing programme, providing a direct route for military personnel in their resettlement phase to join the police and serve local communities.
One example of this transition is PC Steven Van Der Bank, 37, who served as a mechanical engineer with the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers and completed a tour in Iraq before joining Nottinghamshire Police. Based in Kirkby-in-Ashfield, Steven now works on various duties including drug busts, traffic operations, and assisting vulnerable people.
Steven said, “The biggest thing that attracted me to the police was it is a uniform service just like the military. I felt like I was missing something in my life that the military gave me. I could survive in that environment and adapt very quickly. It still attracts me to this day. I have never got bored in policing because there are so many different departments. You can do three or four years in response, then go into neighbourhood policing and then CID. The promotion opportunities are there. I am a single dad running my own home and it is very achievable, being a student, an officer and a family man all at the same time.”
The fast track course details include a four-week pre-learning course starting on November 21, followed by a 12-week University of Derby-approved Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship (PCDA) beginning in January 2023. Participants will officially start as police constables in June 2023, entering the second half of a three-year programme.
Temporary Superintendent Amy Styles-Jones commented, “We recognise that the skills gained from a career in the military are both valuable and transferable into the police service. We are offering a clear pathway for military service leavers to kickstart an exciting policing career with Nottinghamshire Police.”
Professor Kathryn Mitchell, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Derby, added, “This partnership supports veterans by combining professional policing education with our commitment to ex-service members. It has huge potential to expand nationally and across other sectors.”
Jo Noakes from the College of Policing stated, “This innovative programme values the experience military personnel bring. Policing needs diverse recruits, and we’re backing this new pathway fully.”
Minister for Defence People, Veterans and Service Families Sarah Atherton said, “This fantastic opportunity shows that the skills from military careers are vital and transferable to serving and protecting the public in the UK.”
Originally published by UKNIP.
