A diverse cohort of 191 new neighbourhood police officers will join the Metropolitan Police Service tomorrow (Tuesday, 10th September), having successfully completed their initial training at Police Now’s academy. These officers are part of Police Now’s two-year National Graduate Leadership Programme, which recruits, trains, and develops exceptional graduates to serve on the front lines of neighbourhood policing.
This marks the first time in nearly a decade that an entire cohort of the programme is solely dedicated to supporting the UK’s largest police force, the Met. Despite the significant recruitment challenges facing the Met, the programme attracted over 5,000 applicants, with all accepted officers demonstrating a strong motivation to drive positive change across London and tackle the well-documented cultural challenges within the force.
Police Now continues to recruit a more diverse group of officers than the national average. Of the officers recruited to this cohort, 45% identify as female, 30% are from ethnic minority backgrounds, and 10% have Black heritage. Additionally, the cohort speaks a combined total of 39 languages, adding essential diversity to the Metropolitan Police.
Policing Minister Dame Diana Johnson expressed her support, saying: “I am delighted to see this new diverse group of officers joining our police, supported by Police Now’s expert training. They are joining at a time when we are introducing our Neighbourhood Policing Guarantee, and I know the skills they have learned will be instrumental as we restore neighbourhood policing. These officers have a unique opportunity to drive positive change across London, and I wish them every success.”
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Helen Millichap of the Met added: “We are delighted to welcome over 190 new officers who have successfully completed their initial training at the Police Now academy. These officers will play an integral role in achieving the priorities laid out in the new Met for London plan, strengthening local policing teams, and focusing on the issues that matter most to Londoners.”
The officers were sworn in at Police Now’s academy in July and spent seven weeks honing their core policing skills and knowledge, preparing to protect and serve the capital. With the academy completed on Friday, 6th September, the officers will now move to the Met to continue their frontline training, eventually joining neighbourhood policing teams across London. Over the next two years, they will work to reduce crime and anti-social behaviour and build public confidence in policing, supported by Police Now and their Met colleagues.
Founded in 2014, Police Now is an independent organisation dedicated to driving innovation and diversity in policing. It has recruited over 3,000 officers into 36 forces across England and Wales and remains the only national recruitment pipeline into policing. The organisation is also listed as a Times Top 100 Graduate Employer.
