A brand new generation of 100 Police recruits sworn in - with half of them women
A new generation of police officers – 100 fresh recruits, nearly half of them women – have been sworn in as part of a nationwide effort to transform frontline policing, with 10 of them preparing to join South Yorkshire Police.
The new recruits, who were attested on yesterday (July 21) at Police Now’s national training academy, will begin their seven-week residential training before heading out into communities across the country.
This will include estates, high streets and town centres in Sheffield, Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham.
Police Now is behind the National Graduate Programme, which brings in officers from diverse academic and professional backgrounds, often outside traditional recruitment routes.
Of the 100 new officers, 49 per cent identify as women, and 29 cent come from Black, Asian or ethnic minority backgrounds.
Among the 10 heading to South Yorkshire, six are women, and two are from ethnic minority backgrounds.
The recruits include former lifeguards, postwomen, paralegals and graduates with degrees in everything from social sciences to engineering – all united by the goal of rebuilding trust in policing and tackling crime on a community level.
Assistant Chief Constable Jon Cummins, speaking at the attestation ceremony, told the recruits:
“You’re not just joining the service – you’re part of a national movement to improve it. Be proud, be brave, be compassionate, and never forget why you chose this path.”
Once trained, the recruits will spend ten weeks on frontline response before moving into local neighbourhood teams for the rest of the two-year programme.
There, they’ll focus on anti-social behaviour, youth engagement, drug crime and other local issues – all with support from dedicated Police Now coaches.
For Sheffield residents, this means new officers who reflect the communities they serve – with more women and more officers from ethnic minority backgrounds.
Since its launch in 2014, Police Now has helped more than 3,300 officers into forces across England and Wales, including South Yorkshire Police, who continue to back the scheme as part of wider efforts to strengthen neighbourhood policing.
Applications for the next intake of Police Now’s National Graduate Programme are open now. For more information, visit www.policenow.org.uk.