Military Vets Wanted for Nottinghamshire Police in New Fast-Track Scheme
Fresh Chance for Ex-Forces to Join Police Ranks
Nottinghamshire Police is launching a brilliant new programme aimed at military personnel in their resettlement phase. The force, which currently boasts 2,408 officers as of October 2022, wants to recruit more ex-servicemen and women to serve local communities.
University-Backed Police Course Gets MoD Nod
The ‘Military Service Leavers Pathway into Policing’ is a game-changer, validated by the University of Derby and supported by the Ministry of Defence. It offers a tailored route for veterans keen to swap their military uniform for a police one in nottingham/" title="Nottingham" data-wpil-keyword-link="linked">Nottingham and Nottinghamshire.
From Battlefields to Beat Patrols
Take PC Steven Van Der Bank, 37, who served in the Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers and completed a Middle East tour. Now based in Kirkby-in-Ashfield, he handles everything from drug busts to traffic ops and community welfare.
“The biggest thing that attracted me to the police was it is a uniform service just like the military. I felt like I was missing something in my life that the military gave me,” he said. “I can survive and adapt quickly in that environment. Policing still draws me in every day with its variety. You can move through departments like response, neighbourhood policing, or CID. Promotion is real. Being a single dad, student, officer, and family man all at once is doable.”
How to Join the Course
The programme starts with a four-week pre-learning phase from 21 November, followed by a 12-week Police Constable Degree Apprenticeship (PCDA) course at the University of Derby in January 2023. Successful candidates will join Nottinghamshire Police as constables by June 2023, entering the second half of the three-year degree programme.
Officials Back the Initiative
T/Superintendent Amy Styles-Jones said:
“We’re dedicated to recruiting talented people with diverse skills committed to making a difference. The military brings valuable, transferable skills, so this pathway supports service leavers transitioning into policing.”
Professor Kathryn Mitchell, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Derby, added:
“We’re proud to collaborate with Nottinghamshire Police to help veterans through this partnership, which could expand nationally and across other sectors.”
Jo Noakes, Director at the College of Policing, praised the programme:
“This innovative scheme recognises the unique experience military personnel bring to policing and perfectly fits policing’s need for diversity.”
Minister for Defence People, Veterans and Service Families Sarah Atherton said:
“This fantastic opportunity is a testament to how military skills transfer beyond the Armed Forces. Veterans can continue serving and protecting communities right here in the UK.”
Interested military leavers can step straight into a rewarding police career and keep serving the public in a new uniform. Nottinghamshire Police wants you!
