Nottinghamshire Police has welcomed 19 new police officers at a special ceremony as it continues to increase officer numbers.

The group passed out at a ceremony at the force's headquarters on Friday (20 May), overseen by Deputy Chief Constable Rachel Barber, after completing their initial training programme.

The officers have completed a mix of classroom training and operational attachments with their tutors. Over the coming weeks, the new recruits will be deployed across the county, where they will undertake a range of duties in their new roles alongside their tutor officers.

The new PCs officially passed out at a parade attended by proud family members.

Among the new recruits is Chris Heathcote, a former salesperson and training manager who has previously worked for Mercedes-Benz and Ford.

The 43-year-old, who will be based with the Response team at Hucknall, said he was thrilled to become a police officer.

"In all my jobs, the aspect I've enjoyed most is helping people. Even when I worked in sales, I got a buzz out of choosing what was best for the customer rather than what might be best for the company.

"I'm really looking forward to being a police officer. In particular, I'm keen to help tackle knife crime and road safety. Having clocked up many thousands of miles on the roads in my previous job, one of my pet frustrations is people who drive dangerously and put other road users at risk."

The new recruits join Nottinghamshire Police at a time when its officer numbers are at their highest levels since 2011.

The force reached 2,380 officers by March 2022 – meaning it met its national uplift target a year ahead of schedule.

In doing so, the force has now become one of the most representative in the country – with a more diverse group of officers more accurately reflecting the communities they serve.

DCC Barber said the force will continue to recruit despite recently hitting its recruitment targets a year early as part of the national Uplift programme.

She said: "Friday's passing out parade was the fourth we've held over the past ten weeks and we have many more planned over the year. I wish all our new recruits well as they embark on an exciting and rewarding career in policing.

"Our numbers are now at their highest levels in 11 years, and it is fantastic to have so many additional officers out on the beat, serving our communities.

"It is great news for the people of Nottinghamshire that this force has been able to expand and take on new recruits so rapidly as part of the Uplift programme.

"This is exactly what communities want and what we need operationally and I'm very happy that we are continuing to create local jobs for local people across Nottinghamshire.

"We have another exciting recruitment programme coming up and I'd encourage anyone who is interested in policing to get in touch."

Individuals who are enthusiastic, innovative and motivated to work in public service are encouraged to submit their CV along with a covering letter to [email protected] . Each applicant should indicate their preferred work area within the covering letter.

Current vacancies at Nottinghamshire Police can be found by clicking here.