Hundreds
of New Cops Get Ready To Hit The Streets
Scotland’s largest police force is placing
over a hundred new cops on the streets as part of an unprecedented recruitment
drive to bolster existing resources.
Strathclyde Police will see 112 new police officers being sworn in to
mark the beginning of their service as police officers.
The Oath of Office ceremony, which is the first and most important step
in the induction process for Constables, will be held at the Force Training
and Recruitment Centre in Jackton.
This is the largest ever intake of officers into the Force and the third
of nine scheduled intakes of police officers for 2008/2009.
Over the course of this financial year Strathclyde Police will recruit
approximately 900 new officers bringing the Force establishment up to
nearly 8,000.
Strathclyde Police has been given the capabilities to strengthen its Force
due to additional funding made available from the Scottish Government
and funding received from local authorities. The Force also has to recruit
to replace a large number of officers due to retire.
This increase in police officers supports the Chief Constable’s vision
of getting more officers on the streets. High visibility policing is regarded
as the key to reassuring the public and reducing the fear of crime within
communities.
At the ceremony each of the 112 officers will be formally sworn in to
the office of Constable by a Justice of the Peace and will be presented
with their warrant card, which identifies and signifies their authority
as police officers.
The new recruits comprise of 74 men, 38 women and three from Black and
Minority Ethnic communities. The recruits come from a wide range
of occupations including a post man, bus driver and a chef and bring with
them a wealth of diverse experiences and skills.
After undergoing 17 weeks of extensive training, the new officers will
be appointed to one of the eight divisions covering the Strathclyde Police
area helping to build safer communities and improve public confidence
in delivering police services.
Assistant Chief Constable Hamish Cormack, Human Resources for Strathclyde
Police said:
'This is the largest number of police officers ever to be recruited at
any one time and the extra resources will be focussing on frontline policing
in communities across Strathclyde.
'Community policing is critical to our business - all officers joining
the Force will at some point in their service work in this area.
'Our vision is for community policing officers to become the hard edge
of policing, concentrating their efforts on enforcement. They will be
responsible for answering calls in their areas and, along with partner
agencies, coming up with longer term solutions to prevent further calls.
'That’s what people want to see – more cops on the streets and
we are responding to this. Seeing officers on the streets helps to reassure
people and deters criminals.
'These new officers will be expected to make a big difference in communities
by working to identify the needs of local residents and to quickly address
any problems they have.
'It is vital to the Force’s commitment to making our communities
safer and to provide greater reassurance to the public.
'The new Constables have undergone a gruelling recruitment process. It’s
the vision of Strathclyde Police to provide excellent policing services
– to help us achieve this we only recruit the very best people.
'Our new recruits come from all walks of life bringing with them a wealth
of experience and skills necessary for becoming a police officer.
'Strathclyde Police recognises the key benefits of having a diverse workforce
and is continually working towards maintaining an environment that values
equality and diversity
'The Oath of Office Ceremony marks the beginning of an officer’s
tenure with Strathclyde Police and is an occasion which symbolises the
start of a momentous and exciting journey'.
