Today (Monday 24th July), 114 new neighbourhood officers were attested at Police Now’s National Graduate Leadership Programme academy, joining over 2,680 officers across England and Wales who have been recruited and trained by Police Now over the last nine years.

The new police constables have officially begun Police Now’s intensive, seven-week residential academy where they will learn, practise and develop the knowledge and skills required for excellent community policing, before being deployed across their respective forces for the remainder of the two-year programme.  

The officers will aim to build public trust and confidence in policing through playing an integral part in tackling and solving crime, reducing anti-social behaviour and supporting members of their community who need them the most. They will also work towards their Graduate Diploma in Professional Policing Practice, in partnership with Liverpool John Moores University.  

The new officers were addressed at their attestation ceremony by Lincolnshire Police Chief Constable Chris Haward, Justice of the Peace Clive Harper,  Police Now’s Chief Executive Officer Kurtis Christoforides and other members of the Police Now Senior Leadership Team.

Addressing the new recruits, Chief Constable Chris Haward said: “The oath you have all just taken swears you to act with fairness, integrity, diligence and impartiality. You will be expected to uphold these values in everything that you do, as a police officer and as a member of the community. Neighbourhood policing is at the forefront of the police service. It is where we make our community ties, it is where policing by consent is maintained and where public confidence is built. Your own values, the values of the police service and the culture of the police service rests in your hands and you will define the police service of the future.

“I urge you to always do your best and always seize the opportunities presented to you, because policing is full of them. You have joined a fantastic career today. You will make a huge difference to society and to people’s lives as you learn and develop over the course of Police Now’s programme and beyond. But you will also have to do difficult things, you will see difficult things and you will face difficult situations. Make the most of the network and friends here at the academy and make sure you support each other through your policing journeys. Good luck with your training and the rest of your exciting new careers.”

Police Now has partnered with 36 police forces across England and Wales, recruiting and training outstanding frontline officers to make a positive difference in society. Police Now works with its partner forces to build a diverse police service that is representative of the communities it serves and consistently recruits more female officers and more officers from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds than the national average. Of those on this cohort of the National Graduate Leadership Programme, 51% identify as female and 24% are from a Black, Asian or minority ethnic background.