Police Now’s mission is to transform communities by recruiting, developing and inspiring diverse leaders in policing.
Officers on Police Now’s programmes develop skills in leadership and problem-solving. They share a commitment to public service, fighting crime and inspiring social change alongside their colleagues.
Speaking of her role as a neighbourhood officer, PC Abhi Bajwa, of Thames Valley Police, said: “An officer who can relate to community members understands the concerns or difficulties they face. That officer is able to use an approach or introduce initiatives that from their own understanding and experiences would make an impact in reducing the types of crimes the community is facing.”
Police Now has recruited a total of 1,830 officers across 33 forces in the UK, including Thames Valley Police. Chief Constable John Campbell has partnered with Police Now for the past five years, with 45 police constables and 11 detective constables joining the force via this route.
Police Now consistently recruits more officers who are women or from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds compared to any other entry route into policing. Police Now recruitment data shows that of those starting on Police Now’s programmes in Thames Valley in 2019-20, 27 per cent identified as coming from a black, Asian and minority ethnic background and nearly three-quarters (73 per cent) identified as women.
Officers on Police Now’s National Graduate Leadership Programme have been working alongside their colleagues within their local neighbourhood teams and are contributing to tackling crime and anti-social behaviour in Thames Valley.
PC Abhi Bajwa successfully blocked a repeat offender who plagued the community with a string of anti-social behaviour incidents that spanned over 20 years, including harassment, racially aggravated public order, assaults, threats to life, intimidation and malicious communication. These crimes were often difficult to take to court due to evidential thresholds, but the demand on PC Bajwa’s team from this individual was significant.
She began gathering evidence to seek a civil injunction and spoke with numerous neighbours and family members to document proof of the anti-social behaviour. PC Bajwa managed to take her file to court where a civil injunction was granted, removing the individual from their home and the local policing area due to the severity of the offences. The order prevented the offender from returning to most of High Wycombe and from contacting 11 named people, as well as banning specific behaviour. When the injunction was breached, the offender was given prison sentences and as a result, crime reports relating to that individual fell dramatically.