148 new trainee detectives were attested today (17th March) at Police Now’s national training academy. The new recruits will join specialist teams across policing as Police Now’s National Detective Programme continues to expand, pilot new initiatives, and drive diversity across policing.
The diverse cohort of new officers will either investigate complex cases within Criminal Investigation Departments, tackle fraud on a national scale as part of a new pilot initiative, or specialise in Counter Terrorism Policing (CTP) to protect the UK from serious harm and threat.
Chief Constable for Wiltshire Police Catherine Roper addressed the new officers at their attestation ceremony today. She said: “Today marks the first day of your policing career and your decision to dedicate yourself to public service, to keeping people safe. Being a police officer is a huge privilege and a huge responsibility; we are not here for ourselves, we are here for our communities. Even from day one, you can make a difference. Every contact leaves a trace and every interaction you have with the public will affect their trust and confidence in the service. Be courteous, have empathy, and always reflect on what motivated you to be here today – because that conviction and that feeling will continue to inspire you. Policing is an incredible career, and I wish you all the very best of luck in your journeys.”
Police Now – a Times Top 100 Graduate Employer – pioneered direct-entry detective training across England and Wales with its National Detective Programme in 2019. The programme has now expanded to include counter terrorism and economic crime specialisms as the organisation continues to drive innovation in the sector.
This brand-new economic crime stream will see officers specialise in investigating fraud and other economic crime, which amounts to almost half of all recorded crime in the UK, with criminals often preying on the most vulnerable. The stream pilots in the City of London Police – the national lead for this specialist area of policing – with 12 of the new officers on this pilot stream.
The CTP stream of Police Now’s detective programme piloted last year in the Metropolitan Police Service to help bolster the UK’s protection against terrorist threat – with one Met trainer crediting the pilot for his ‘renewed sense of enthusiasm and optimism for policing.’ Thanks to its success, the stream has now expanded to include the West Midlands and North West CTP regions for the first time, alongside the Met – with 61 of the new officers joining CTP teams across the country via the programme.
The further 75 officers on the programme will join Criminal Investigation Departments across Avon and Somerset Police, Devon and Cornwall Police, Humberside Police, Wiltshire Police and West Midlands Police – where they will support victims of crime, contribute to building public trust and confidence, and investigate serious criminality.
Police Now’s Chief Executive Officer Kurtis Christoforides, who addressed the officers at their attestation ceremony today, said: “This programme is for the dedicated, the resilient and the hard-working graduates who want to make a difference in society and be at the forefront of change and innovation in policing.
“Our brilliant new recruits attested here today will help us deliver new initiatives on our National Detective Programme and will all play a part in building public trust and confidence in policing, supporting victims of crime, and protecting the public from harm. I have huge faith in their passion for public service and wish them luck on their journey ahead, as Police Now and our partner forces support them to meet the highest possible standards and become exceptional investigators on the frontline.”
Of the 148 officers who were attested today, 67% identify as women and 16% are from a Black, Asian or ethnic minority background – both higher than the national average across policing. Police Now consistently brings more women and individuals from ethnic minority backgrounds into the service and focuses on attracting those who had not previously considered a career in policing; contributing to a more diverse and operationally effective police service which better represents the communities it serves.
