New police constable joins response team in Newark as new cohorts pass out into the service

A new police constable has joined the response team at Newark Police Station.

24-year-old PC Will Brewer took part in his pass out ceremony on Friday (February 17), and is now ready to report for duty.

The new recruit studied Professional Policing at the University of Northampton and gained experience serving as a special constable at Northamptonshire Police before joining Nottinghamshire Police.

PC Brewer said: “I have always seen the police as that beacon of hope in a person’s darkest and most vulnerable moments. The opportunity to have a job which enables me to help those in need every day is something which I couldn’t pass up.

“I’m looking forward to the comradery and joining a team that will become family, as well as getting stuck into every incident.”

He was one of dozens of new officers from the first of three cohorts ­— one from each entry route that forms the Policing Education Qualification Framework (PEQF) ­— who are ready to serve communities across the county.

Proud family members and friends were at Nottinghamshire Police’s headquarters to see the first cohort, who have followed the Professional Policing Degree route at university, take part in a pass out ceremony.

It was the first parade overseen by new Chief Constable Kate Meynell since taking the reins in December 2022.

CC Meynell said: “Our duty at Nottinghamshire Police is to fight crime, protect vulnerable people and make our communities feel safe and listened to.

“When we are carrying out our duty, our commitment is to serve with integrity, pride and compassion.

“When I talk about pride it really is as simple as, when you’ve finished your tour of duty, I want you to be able to look yourself in the eye and be proud of what you’ve done ­— because if you’re proud of what you’ve done, you will have done a good job.”

The two other cohorts ­— from the Degree Holder Entry Programme and Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship entry routes ­— will have their pass out parades on February 24 and March 31 respectively.

Sergeant Dylan Boddy, of the learning and development team, said: “This is the first time we’ve had cohorts from all three PEQF routes passing out in a short period of time, with 56 new police officers joining the Nottinghamshire frontline over the coming weeks.

“They include officers from a variety of backgrounds, cultures and experiences as we continue to build a diverse workforce that better reflects the communities we serve.

“That’s why there are various ways to join the police and it is great news for the people of Nottinghamshire that we have been able to take on so many new recruits in this way and so rapidly.”

Police forces across England and Wales have been embarking on recruitment programmes as part of the Government’s pledge to put 20,000 additional officers on the streets.

The Police Uplift Programme was launched in 2019 and Nottinghamshire Police was tasked with reaching 2,380 officers by March 2023 ­— a target the force met with a year to go. It means its ranks have grown by over 400 officers since the programme began.

To learn more about entry routes into policing and careers with Nottinghamshire Police, visit the service's website.