During the second year of training with Police Now, participants can apply for an external secondment with one of our partner organisations, or an internal attachment with a specialist unit in their force.
Secondments are offered across a range of private sector organisations and charities. This access supports participants’ professional development and presents valuable opportunities, for skills exchange and building closer working relationships within the community. It also allows participants to bring skills and lessons back into policing from other industries.
Two Police Now neighbourhood officers recently completed a placement with Veterans Aid, a charity that supports ex-servicemen and women in crisis, particularly where it threatens to lead to homelessness.
Dr Hugh Milroy, CEO of Veterans Aid, welcomed the partnership between Police Now and VA, saying:
“We also operate on the ‘frontline’, combating homelessness, social isolation and the many societal ills that can lead to crime. There is real synchronicity of objectives between this charity and Police Now and we fully support its aims.”
PC Karina Puttock, a neighbourhood officer in Sussex and PC Hannah Stark, a neighbourhood officer in Humberside, spent time with the charity, working in its Operations Room and learning about the roles of individual staff members.
Karina said,“They were four of the most valuable weeks I have worked. I have a lot of friends and family in the military, so it is a charity close to my heart. Although we don’t have a military base in Sussex, traditionally veterans are transient and tend to go back to the place they know.
“As a result of my time with Veterans Aid, I am now working on a project based on how police deal with veterans in crisis and how we can standardise this to ensure a consistently high level of support to ex-servicemen and women. I’ve learnt a lot and built good relationships within the charity.
