The new chief constable of Nottinghamshire Police called on new recruits to serve with "integrity, pride and passion" as she oversaw her first pass out ceremony last week.

On Friday (February 17) Chief Constable Kate Meynell attended the event at the force's Sherwood Lodge Drive headquarters - her first parade since taking the reins in December 2022.

Addressing the new police constables she 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."

A cohort of new PCs had their pass out parade on Friday (image via Nottinghamshire Police)

The new officers came through the professional policing degree route. The recruits completed a three-year policing degree at university before successfully applying to join the ranks at Nottinghamshire Police.

The two other cohorts – from the degree holder entry programme and police constable degree apprenticeship entry routes – will hold their pass out parades on 24 February and 31 March respectively.

Sergeant Dylan Boddy, of the learning and development team, said it is an exciting time for the force.

"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," he said.

"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."